Helipad Summer 2018 by Devon Air Ambulance Trust

Meet Peter Richardson Above all a Devonian...

Geocaching Get the bug...

Eat and be Merry!

This Summer’s Food Fests

the official magazine of DEVON AIR AMBULANCE

summer 2018 | www.daat.org

F REE MAGA ZINE

Find out more about: Our Service Our Patients Our Fundraisers & Your Beautiful County!

DISCOVER North Devon’s GOLDEN CHAIN

EXPLORE Teignmouth & Shaldon

SIZZLING SUMMER BBQ with Devon Chef Richard Hunt

Volunteering What’s in it for me?

plastic un-fantastic

RHS Rosemoor

Why perennials are worth the effort...

Educating the next generation

Airbase Visits

Patients and fundraisers meet our crews

We want your feedback! Tell us what you’d like to see in Helipad

Join Our Weekly

LOTTERY See inside

Fancy Dress Fundraisers!

500 Cyclists Ride for DAA in Honiton’s BIKE RIDE Andy, happily back on his bike

Devon Air Ambulance’s very own Community Magazine

Garden Flower Show 17 - 19 August

Over 40 nurseries & trade stands New floral display trail & The British Flower Bus Flower arranging, specialist talks & RHS advice Free Park and Ride from Torrington

All included with normal garden admission. Free for RHS members. Book tickets online now and save 10% rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor Great Torrington, Devon Tel 01805 626810 RHS Reg Charity No. 222879 / SC038262

summer 2018 | WELCOME

WELCOME HelĂŠna Holt Chief Executive Officer Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just over a month since the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force and I suspect that many of you, like me, have had to deal with a flood of emails from your regular â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and more obscure â&#x20AC;&#x201C; contacts, asking you to agree to their new privacy policy. Like other organisations, DAA has spent many months reviewing, assessing and, where necessary, amending our policies, statements and information to make sure we are fully compliant with this important piece of legislation. As a charity, we do not share our supportersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; information with anyone, and never do direct mailing or marketing; in fact, this Helipad magazine is likely to be the only communication you get from us. At Devon Air Ambulance, we take data security very seriously and want all our supporters to be completely confident that their personal

information is safe with us. In this summer issue of Helipad, we turn the spotlight on our fantastic coastline and beaches. One particularly â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hot topicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; at the moment, especially for counties like Devon with important marine environments, is around single-use plastic and the detrimental effect that discarded plastic can have on our seas and wildlife. Some of you will notice that Helipad comes in a film wrapper so, inspired by the article on pages 18/19, we are now seeing if there are any alternatives which would enable us to send Helipad out in the post without wrapping it in plastic. We will let you know how we get on...

Debbie Gregory Helipad Editor After being away for a short while, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great to be back! Thank you to everyone who looked after Helipad in my absence â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it was lovely to read it without my Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hat on and it reminded me what an interesting and informative magazine it is, as well as being a cracking read! In this special coastal issue, we are taking a trip around some stunning north Devon beaches and the seaside town of Teignmouth. We also check out some of the tempting food festivals across the county this summer while my DAA colleagues tell us more about the ongoing development of the service. My thanks as always go to all the contributors who have written articles for this issue, sent photos in for our Devon People fundraising pages and those, in the case of our patients, who have

allowed their personal stories to be told. Penny and her son, Leo, were airlifted to Bristol Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital last summer when they were involved in a nasty road traffic collision; Penelope tells us how she felt it was history repeating itself when she suffered a stroke and both Martin and Patrick sustained injuries from falls. In all cases, these patients were grateful that the Devon Air Ambulance attended in their hour of need. If you, or a loved one, have had the benefit of the Devon Air Ambulance and would like to share your story, please do let me know on 01392 466666 or d.gregory@daat.org. Happy reading Jđ&#x;&#x2DC;&#x160;

GET IN TOUCH! Devon Air Ambulance Unit 5 Sandpiper Court Harrington Lane Exeter EX4 8NS ( 01392 466666 8 info@daat.org ď&#x192;ź www.daat.org Registered Charity No 1077998 Registered Company No 3855746

Fundraising & Events

fundraising@daat.org

Lottery

lottery@daat.org

Volunteering

Cara Jones

c.jones@daat.org

Patient Contact

Debbie Gregory

d.gregory@daat.org

Sarah Burden

s.burden@daat.org

Night Landing Sites

Toby Russell

t.russell@daat.org

Operations

Nigel Hare

n.hare@daat.org

Magazine Advertising

Ben Foster

b.foster@daat.org

ÂŠ All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or used in any form without prior permission of the publishers. All material is sent at the ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s risk and whilst every care is taken, Devon Air Ambulance Trust will not accept liability for loss or damage. Every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of our content but the publishers cannot be held responsible for any omissions, errors or alterations or for the consequences of any reliance on these details; neither can they vouch for the accuracy of claims made by any advertiser. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers.

helipad | www.daat.org

CONTENTS | spring 2018 44 Fundraising Focus The Offical Magazine of Devon Air Ambulance Celebrating the best in Devon 50,000 copies covering the whole county. 35,000+ delivered direct to our supporters Also available online at www.daat.org Contributors Sarah Chesters David FitzGerald Richard Hunt Neil Devons Debbie Gregory Catherine Moss-Crump Ali Murray Ali Simpson Jill Sweet Photographers RHS Neil Devons Debbie Gregory Freeline Graphics Terry Ife, Midweek Herald Peter Stephens Ali Murray Publisher Heléna Holt h.holt@daat.org 01392 46666 Editor Debbie Gregory 01392 466666 ext 135 d.gregory@daat.org Sub Editor Alison Simpson 01392 466666 ext 147 a.simpson@daat.org Advertising Sales Ben Foster 01366 728488 b.foster@daat.org Advertisement Copy copy@daat.org Design & Print Management Silver Foxes Publishing 07455 206470 Distribution & Mailing Silver Foxes Publishing 07455 206470 ISSN (Print) 2055-2343 ISSN (Online) 2055-2351 Next issue Winter 2018

is published by DEVON AIR AMBULANCE TRUST

OUR WORK 7

Keeping in Touch We always love to hear from you and share your stories with our readers and supporters. Write or contact us via email or through social media.

Cupboard Love Volunteer Jill Sweet tells us about how she was beguiled by a tall, attractive stranger when visiting our specialist Furniture and Electrical Shop in Exeter, but why her ‘other half’ has nothing to worry about!

Junior Crew Proving you’re never too young to start supporting Devon Air Ambulance, we meet some of the amazing young fundraisers and their families who raise money to support us.

Business on Board We say a very big ‘thank you’ to all the businesses and companies – big and small, near and far – who support Devon Air Ambulance in so many ways.

Fundraiser Focus – Bike Ride with a difference Every May, the roads around Honiton are filled with cyclists on all sorts of bikes and in all sorts of costumes. Find out about this amazing fundraising event organised by the Phillips family and how it has grown tenfold in 20 years.

Devon People In every issue of Helipad, we showcase and celebrate some of our brilliant fundraisers. We are grateful for every penny they raise to support Devon Air Ambulance, and just love to find out about their amazing achievements and creative fundraising ideas.

Operations As well as their professional qualifications, DAA Operations Director, Nigel Hare, tells us about the array of courses and training our pilots, paramedics and doctors have to undertake in order to remain current, up-to-date and fully compliant with all the regulations that enable them to fly and work on the air ambulance.

summer 2018 | CONTENTS

PEOPLE & PLACES

GET INVOLVED

Totally Teignmouth We spend a day out in the lovely estuary town of Teignmouth.

Volunteering Mike and Gillian Sexton tell us why they wanted to give something back to the charity after we came to the aid of their newborn grandson.

Eat and be Merry! With such fertile land and plentiful seas, it’s no wonder that Devon puts on some of the best food festivals in the country.

Lottery Fundraising manager, Tracy Owen, explains how our lottery actually works, and why there is a method of sign-up and payment to suit everyone.

Plastic Un-fantastic With growing concerns about how discarded plastic impacts our marine wildlife and fragile coastal eco-systems, we find out how to live our lives a little more ‘plastic-free’ and how Beach Schools are helping the next generation.

PATIENTS 10

Perfect Perennials RHS’s Sarah Chesters tells us why you can’t beat perennials for bringing colour and scent to our summer gardens.

‘Miracle Boy’ Penny Carrington and her children were involved in a horrible car accident that left 8 year old Leo with a serious skull fracture and in urgent need of treatment.

The ‘Golden Chain’ We take a tour around the fabulous beaches along Devon’s spectacular north coast.

Not just an Occupational Hazard! Geography teacher Patrick Talbot took a nasty tumble from the rocks at Beesands.

“They can’t possibly have sent a helicopter for me, can they?!” Martin Barnes from Ilfracombe fell off a ladder and suffered a potentially serious head wound. Martin’s wife Jenny was extremely concerned and grateful to see the helicopter overhead.

Can’t wait to get back in the saddle Keen biker Lesley Bird was involved in a highspeed crash that left her with multiple injuries. Thanks to DAA’s quick intervention, one year on Lesley is looking forward to getting back on her beloved Suzuki!

Churchyard Emergency Penelope Moore from Honiton suffered a stroke while tending the graves of her parents – both of whom had died after having strokes.

Geocaching - 21st Century Treasure Hunting We learn about Geocaching, a modern take on the traditional treasure hunt that uses GPS technology on your smart phone.

Bountiful County – Summer Cooking Richard Hunt gives us great tips on how to cook and enjoy the best of Devon’s fantastic summer produce.

The Sky’s the Limit We learn the tale of one remarkable pioneer aviator and the mystery of how an Aviation Ascent Certificate awarded to this ‘magnificent man in his flying machine’ found its way to a Devon Air Ambulance shop.

The Hidden Treasures of Tuckers Hall In the heart of Exeter, a Victorian façade hides a Medieval gem – Tuckers Hall was once a centre for the international wool trade and helped make the city one of the wealthiest in the country!

Back Chat Fitz interviews actor, director and writer Peter Richardson, and finds out why controversy follows this devoted Devonian around – if he isn’t upsetting Enid Blyton fans, he’s taking on Brexit, the Vatican and the Totnes one-way system!

Join Our Weekly

LOTTERY

See Page

Eat and be Merry!

On The Cover Issue No.20 summer 2018 Gig rowing in Teignmouth © Debbie Gregory

helipad | www.daat.org

Are you looking for a great advertising opportunity? Circulation - 45,000 copies Delivered via Royal Mail - 36,000 copies Distributed via our shops and events Available via DAA website (12k visits per month) Shared via our Social Media channels

Entries are invited for the 20th Century & Contemporary Auction

Dame Lucie Rie DBE (1902-1995) A porcelain bottle vase Sold recently for £17,500

Full of compelling local content Anticipated, well read and shared by our supporters

Can your current advertising media choices deliver this much? For more information contact:

Ben Foster - 01366 728488 b.foster@daat.org St. Edmund’s Court, Okehampton Street, Exeter EX4 1DU T: 01392 413100 W: www.bhandl.co.uk E: enquiries@bhandl.co.uk

Grow your business with county-wide advertising in Devon Air Ambulance’s very own County Magazine

summer 2018 | SUPPORT

Keeping in touch... Ă&#x17E; A heartfelt message from a very happy customer.

Ă&#x17E;

Jane Welsh from Exmouth wrote to say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just wanted to comment on your Air Ambulance Charity Shop situated in the Magnolia Centre in Exmouth, the best charity shop in the whole of Exmouth. All the staff are cheerful and helpful, they have a good turnover of stock and the shop is always well presented. Your shop manages to keep the pricing realistic and affordable and I now donate all my clothing, shoes and anything else I think they can sell. I ask my friends to do the same. I just wanted to pass on my praises and would be grateful if you could let all your staff in your Exmouth Store know what a brilliant shop they run!

Super Snaps Police dog Devon, a 2-year old general purpose German Shepherd working for Devon and Cornwall police. Handler Sergeant Kevin Roberts captured this cracking image when our helicopter landed !

Thanks Izzy! We were delighted to receive a hand-written letter from Year 9 student Izzy Taylor, who won a family ticket to Crealy for her generosity.

Reread, reuse then recycle A great initiative for recycling your Helipad magazine came from Theresa Penfold. What a fabulous idea: Ive just left my read DAAT magazine with the other magazines at Derrifordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Physiotherapy waiting room. Struck me that all these waiting rooms would give excellent exposure! Thanks Theresa đ&#x;&#x2DC;&#x160; Jđ&#x;&#x2DC;&#x160;

Happy to see you! Following the recent group visits to our airbases, we were delighted to receive this response from one happy guest: Just a quick note to thank all of your team for hosting me and my colleagues from the Mid Devon Tractor, Engine and Machinery Group at Eaglescott on the afternoon of 30 May. Right from the outset and throughout the entire visit, we were made to feel very welcome and treated to a fascinating and informative presentation. Having supported DAAT financially as a charity of choice from before it even started flying, it was good to feel that our small contribution has helped to play a part in what is a highly successful and hugely beneficial organisation which saves lives and does enormous public good on a daily basis. I should be grateful if you could pass on our thanks to all those involved. With best wishes Michael Coleman

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summer 2018 | VOLUNTEERS

VOLUNTEERING Profile: Cara Jones - Volunteer Manager Email: c.jones@daat.org Cara joined us in April 2017 and is responsible for steering and coordinating volunteering across Devon Air Ambulance, including the recruitment, induction, training and support of our volunteers working in our shops and the community.

So much to give, so much to gain... I

ndividuals choose to volunteer for a variety of reasons. For There were several opportunities to volunteer within the some it offers the chance to give something back to the charity but we decided to do box collecting as this fitted in community or make a difference to the people around them. best with our lives. We have a motorhome which we like to For others it provides an opportunity to develop new skills or go away in on a regular basis and we can fit the box collecting build on existing experience and knowledge. For volunteers in around our holidays. The staff at head office are always on Mike and Gillian Sexton the relationship with the Devon Air hand in case we have a problem. We service the boxes in our Ambulance has blossomed since a very special new addition local Ottery St Mary and Sidmouth areas and also help out on to the world required our service. the DAA stand at various local events”. Their association with Devon Air Ambulance started on 19th Over the years, the entire family have continued to support August 2005 when their first grandchild Callum was born at Devon Air Ambulance. When Callum’s home. The birth had gone well but dad, Noel, started up a new business unfortunately, when Callum was about - View It 360 - he immediately saw an hour old, he developed breathing an opportunity to raise awareness of problems so an ambulance was called. the work carried out by the Charity by The land ambulance was going to donating a 360° virtual reality tour of the have to travel from Taunton and, as Air Ambulance and hangar at Eaglescott. it was the day of the local Dunster This amazing tour can be found on the Country Fair, the main road was totally Charity’s website. gridlocked. This was when the Devon Gill added “We have also held several Air Ambulance was called in. They fundraising events but the most The Sexton family with airlifted Callum and mum Nikki to exciting fundraising experience is yet to paramedic Mark Hawley Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton in come! Our daughter-in-law Nikki has a matter of minutes. Thankfully, after decided, in her wisdom, to take part undergoing several tests, Callum was given a clean bill of health in a Guinness World Record Attempt to have 450 skydivers and allowed home that evening. parachuting from 10,000ft within 24 hours which is being held A few years later Gill found out that, due to patient on 25th July. Nikki would be the first to admit that she is not confidentiality, Devon Air Ambulance did not know the an adrenalin junkie – she would prefer to curl up with a good details of Callum’s airlift – the Charity only becomes aware book and a glass of wine – so this is something well out of her of individual patients when that person, or a family member, comfort zone and we are so proud of her. contacts the Charity direct. So Gill called the Charity and, in Mike and I have been volunteering for five years now and Spring 2013, they were all invited to Eaglescott for a tour of the we absolutely love it! We have made so many new friends airbase and to see the helicopter. – at head office, with other local volunteers and also with Gill said “The tour was very interesting – the staff were our box holders. Everyone within the charity is so friendly professional yet very friendly – so, as my husband Mike had and very appreciative of the work the volunteers do! It’s like recently retired, we both decided there and then to sign up as being part of one large happy family! So give it a go – you volunteers as a thank you for airlifting Callum. won’t regret it!” o

As the service continues to grow, we hope our volunteer family will too! If you would like to give volunteering for Devon Air Ambulance a go, please contact our Volunteer Manager, Cara Jones on c.jones@daat.org or by calling Exeter (01392) 466 666.

INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING?

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‘Miracle Boy’ Leo

makes an amazing recovery Penny Carrington and her family have nothing but praise for Devon Air Ambulance and passed on grateful thanks to the aircrew who attended when Penny and her two children were involved in a car accident last August.

enny was driving from their home in Bude to visit grandparents in Camelford when their car was hit at speed by a vehicle that came straight out from a side road. Twelve-year old Amelie was first out of the car whilst Penny ran to help 8-year old Leo out from the back and saw that he had a nasty ‘squishy-looking’ wound on his head. Aware that there was smoke coming from the engine, Penny was relieved that both her children were conscious and talking as they moved away from the vehicle. A passing motorist stopped to let them know he’d called 999 and a local off-duty police officer, coincidentally one of their neighbours, also stopped. He stayed with

the family, offering muchneeded reassurance as they waited for the emergency services. With the road closed by attending police, the Devon Air Ambulance landed close to the collision and paramedics Darren Hall and Chris Saunders ran to

they left the scene, the aircrew had also requested their colleagues on Devon’s other Air Ambulance to attend to the driver of the other vehicle, who was subsequently flown to Derriford. Meanwhile, after a brief phone call saying their

“ An MRI scan revealed that Leo had suffered a depressed fracture of the skull and he underwent a 4-hour emergency operation ” help. As Leo’s condition was rapidly deteriorating, Penny was relieved that expert, professional medical help was on hand and it swiftly became apparent that Leo would be flown to Bristol Children’s Hospital. Before

expected plans for the afternoon would have to change, Penny’s husband Kristien had made his way to the scene and, confronted with a lengthy traffic jam and seeing the helicopter arrive, realised things were

somewhat more serious than Penny had suggested! He waited with Amelie as Penny and Leo were strapped into the helicopter. Fortunately, a check-up at Stratton Minor Injuries Unit revealed that Amelie had only minor injuries so she stayed at home in the care of good friends whilst Kristien made his way to Bristol. Penny remembers the helicopter ride vividly, thinking “This would be fun if it wasn’t all so serious. Leo is really going to wish he could remember his ride!” But, to Penny, he seemed to be going downhill fast and she was grateful to be reassured by the paramedics as they monitored him en-route. The Air Ambulance landed on the hospital roof and the

summer 2018 | PATIENTS

Scans show Leo’s fracture before and after his emergency operation.

aircrew accompanied Leo to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. An MRI scan revealed that Leo had suffered a depressed fracture of the skull and he underwent a 4-hour emergency operation. There followed 5 days in ICU before the medics attempted to bring Leo out of his induced coma. Disappointingly, he was unable to breathe unaided and had to have his breathing tube re-fixed and be re-sedated, although his parents were relieved that they had at least been able to talk to him. In a surprise to everyone, just a few hours later, Leo woke up and, conscious enough that he didn’t want to sleep any longer, he sat up and pulled his breathing tube out! He was transferred to the High Dependency Unit until he could swallow and eat again, where he also began walking. Doctors had warned Penny and Kristien that, with a ‘crack’ in his face that had trapped a muscle behind his eye, there was a risk

to his sight but, thankfully, everything subsequently recovered as it should. Leo was off school for a month and, not being allowed to do contact sports for 12 months, he is now enjoying street-dance and swimming until he can go back to rugby and football. Penny proudly describes her son as a “Miracle Boy” and even one of his doctors said “I think you dodged a bullet that day!” With Leo’s six-month review revealing that he had made an amazing recovery, Penny expressed her gratitude to everyone who helped. “From the passer-by who first called 999 and the police officer who waited with us, to the fantastic aircrew team, Darren, Chris and pilot Dan, to all the staff at Bristol Children’s Hospital, we were so well cared for the whole way through. We are just so lucky to live here, with the incredible resources that are available and we can’t thank you all enough.” o

Leo recovering in hospital

TOTALLY

Teignmouth

Helipadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ali Simpson takes a stroll around Teignmouth, and discovers how a day out in this lovely estuary town ticks every box for lovers of local history, gastronomy and all things arty!

Sunset on Teignmouth back beach

summer 2018 | DEVON WALK

f, like me, you have a passion for history, art and good food, Teignmouth is a rare treat. Not only does it boast a wealth of fine architecture and a modern museum full of local heritage and culture, but also a myriad of interesting galleries and eateries that make up its thriving arts and food scene. Teignmouth is a compact, easy-to-get-around town but, if you are unfamiliar with it, there is a great visitor map which pinpoints all the attractions, galleries, cafes and bistros. Download it before you visit, or pick up a copy from the Information Centre in the Pavilions near the promenade bowling green. Where better to start your day out than the Teign Heritage Centre in

by large Victorian villas, but you can find a number of interesting Georgian cottages lining the narrow streets behind. If you fancy stopping for breakfast along the way, try the award-winning TwentySix Café and Bistro in Regent Street and my particular favourite, Tartine Avocat – avocado, crispy bacon and poached egg on granary toast! If you have a love of the creative arts, you can spend the rest of the morning immersing yourself in Teignmouth’s vibrant, and burgeoning, Arts Quarter. Centred around Northumberland Place, Teign Street, Bank Street and Somerset Place, there are a growing number of galleries – such as Spymass and Words & Pictures - offering original

“ Don’t forget to look up above the shop fronts at some of the town’s architectural gems ” French Street. Housing the museum – which is open Tuesday to Saturday – this striking modern building is a great place to explore the fascinating history and heritage of the area. As well as hosting touring exhibitions, it also houses two permanent galleries, displaying local artefacts such as items salvaged from a 16th century ship wreck and a restored Edwardian bathing machine. To complement what you have learned, you will also find a number of useful information boards dotted around the town, telling you more about the history of the area, famous landmarks and points of interest. Once you have had a good dose of local history, stroll through town via Regent Street and Wellington Street – but don’t forget to look up above the shop fronts at some of the town’s architectural gems. Much of the seafront is dominated

artworks, prints, sculpture and jewellery. Local artists like Laura Wall and Sally Anderson have their galleries here too, and the paintings of world-renowned artist Robert Lenkiewicz can be seen in his son Reuben’s new gallery. While in the area, don’t miss Keats House – a Georgian residence visited by the famous poet John Keats in the spring of 1818. His stay was unfortunately dogged with persistent rain which he wholeheartedly lamented in letters to friends! If you didn’t get a chance to stop for breakfast, now is a good opportunity for elevenses in one of the many lovely little independent cafés that pepper the area. Try the quirky and eclectic Oystercatchers Café or the quintessentially English Tea by the Quay, both in Northumberland Place. There is such a lot to see and do in Teignmouth, you can easily spend a whole day

on this side of the estuary. But, if you have time and want to get a different perspective, walk down to Lifeboat Lane on the back beach and catch the ferry across to Shaldon. The black and white ferry is the oldest passenger service in England and can trace its history back as far as 1296 (but is probably much older!). Running every 10-15 minutes in high season, it is definitely the quickest, and most scenic way, to cross the estuary. Shaldon is a picturepostcard-perfect fishing village, complete with pastel-coloured fisherman’s cottages, fine Georgian houses and impressive contemporary seaside homes. On disembarking, why not stop for a drink at the Strand Café and Bistro on the corner of Horse Lane. Shabby chic, with hints of pastel and bleached wood, it also has some great views back over to Teignmouth! If you fancy a more substantial lunch, turn left

and walk along Marine Parade until you reach The Ness Hotel, an imposing and impressive Georgian house, complete with a wrap-around balcony and conservatory. Built in 1810, The Ness was the summer residence of Lord Clifford, a descendent of Charles II’s infamous Lord High Treasurer, Thomas Clifford, sometimes called the ‘Bribe Master General’. It does a great array of light lunches so, if the weather is fine, grab a sandwich – and perhaps a chilled bottle of Badger Ale - and sit outside to watch the world, and the boats, go by! Once you have been fed and watered, head for Ness Cove. This beach is one of the area’s hidden treats, dramatically backed by red sandstone cliffs and accessible through the long, damp Smuggler’s Tunnel, which adds an air of excitement and anticipation. A leisurely stroll along the beach is just about right for working off your lunch. If you

“ The black and white ferry is the oldest passenger service in England and can trace its history back as far as 1296 ” The Ness Beach at Shaldon

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want to explore the village a little more, perhaps spend some time wandering around the Botanical Gardens or even visiting Shaldon Zoo. You could now retrace your steps and take the passenger ferry back to Teignmouth but, if you have time to spare, why not walk the long way around? To get to Shaldon bridge, wend your way through the pretty, narrow streets of the village, perhaps stopping a while to watch a game of bowls at the Shaldon Bowls

Club on the village green. The bridge, at 1,671 feet long –and today a busy thoroughfare to Torbay – was, on its completion in 1827, the longest wooden bridge in England. One of its original Toll Houses still remains – although today it is free to cross! Once you are back on the Teignmouth side, the main road into town can be busy, so turn right into Bitton Park and walk up through the gardens of what is now the offices of Teignbridge Town Council.

Bitton House is a beautiful classical-style building which was the home of Admiral Sir Edward Pellew from 1813. The main entrance is impressively flanked by two cannons which Admiral Pellow brought back from the successful siege of Algiers in 1816 and there is also a lovely Orangery, complete with exotic plants, which was built in 1842 and fully restored in 1985. When you pop out of the gardens on the far side, be adventurous and turn right

and left and right again, down all the tiny back streets and alleyways, crossing the railway line by the covered footbridge. You won’t get lost – promise! If you love all-things industrial, now is a great chance to be up close to the monolithic concrete and steel structures of Teignmouth Port. Although not accessible to the public, you still get a good view of the large container ships loading and unloading from this vantage point. It’s believed that Teignmouth has had a

summer 2018 | DEVON WALK

to Don’t forget MBm ULAily fun AIRr Afa N join usVONfo ment at and entertain n The Den o 18 15th July 20 on ulminati for the ci our annual of« 2 0rc cle 1 8y« Moto Ride-Out

RIDE OUT

port since the 13th century; today, the principal cargo is dry bulk goods, including over 200,000 tonnes of ball clay every year! Keeping the estuary on your right, you will eventually arrive at the ‘Back Beach’ - often thought of as the place where the locals, and those in the know, go to chill out. After a long day, it’s the perfect place to stop for an early dinner - I would recommend The Crab Shack (it’s popular so book a table to avoid being disappointed). You will be hard pressed to find fresher seafood anywhere in the county and, as champions of local Devon produce, they can measure the distance to many of their local suppliers in metres rather than miles. At the end of a day enjoying Teignmouth past and present, as well as its great art vibe and all its many cultural and culinary delights, why not treat yourself to an after-dinner coffee, a mocktail or a glass of the ‘weekly guest ale’ at The Ship Inn, sit down to enjoy some live music and watch the sun go down – it’s a great way to end a great day! o

Teignmouth for little tots, toddlers and teens! If you are visiting Teignmouth with children, there is lots to keep them happy and occupied. If they just want somewhere to run around, you can’t beat the large, grassy area at The Den; Just off the Promenade is a fun dinosaur-themed adventure golf course and a great play area divided into age-appropriate sections; In the summer, the play area also has a Water Park where the children can play and get wet; For the older children and teenagers, there is a skate park near the Lighthouse; The Grand Pier is a traditional place to stroll, enjoy an ice-cream and visit the many amusements; There is lots of space on the town beach or, if they prefer, how about swimming at the Lido at the far end of the Den Promenade; Finally, if you are in Shaldon, don’t forget to visit the zoo. Although small, it has an interesting variety of small mammals, primates and reptiles, as well as welcoming, and knowledgeable, staff.

• • • • • • •

helipad | www.daat.org

Devon

Food Heaven Helipad takes a closer look at just a few of this season’s best food festivals, and finds out why you can’t beat Devon for seafood, celebrity chefs and a bit of spice...

ith acres of fertile countryside and bountiful waters around our coastline, it is little wonder that Devon has been so blessed with some of the very best meat, fish, vegetables and fruit in the whole country. Where better then for locals and visitors alike to enjoy some of these culinary highlights than at one of the county’s many food festivals. Taking place across Devon this summer and autumn, they all feature renowned chefs, top producers and local manufacturers. Many also have live entertainment, cookery demonstrations, street food, popup kitchens, stalls and traders, with plenty for youngsters to do, leaving the adults free to get on with the serious job of tasting! So, if you have a taste for mixing great gastronomy with enlivening entertainment, here are just a few of this season’s must-go-to events.o

LAID BACK AND BACK-TO-BASICS 25th - 26th August The River Cottage Festival Axminster

This two-day event is a fully immersive, River Cottage experience. Featuring street food for all tastes, cookery masterclasses and ‘Cocktails under Canvas’, it also hosts a great music festival with a stellar line-up of acts as well as speakers such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall himself, Prue Leith and co-leader of the Green Party, Caroline Lucas. There is onsite camping – and glamping - and plenty for the young, and young at heart, to do. There will be a great variety of arts and craft tents, where you can get creative, as well as the chance to learn practical skills such as bushcraft. There are also a number of interesting holistic experiences to try, from yoga and reiki to star-gazing and stone balancing. If you are looking for a laid-back festival which will help you ‘get back to nature’ with a wellness approach to satisfying the mind as well as the stomach, this could be the perfect festival for you. www.rivercottage.net/festival/2018

SPICING IT UP!

18th - 19th August Devon Fire & Spice Festival Powderham Castle A food festival with a difference – think of it as Grillin’ and Chillin’! With the emphasis on all things chilli and the art of the barbecue, this two-day event can claim to offer every imaginable chilli product, from sauces and dips, to jams and chutneys. You can even enter a chilli eating competition or put up a team for a chilli-con-carne cook-off! There will also be barbecue demonstrations for those who want to wow their guests with more than the ubiquitous ‘snag’ and lots of opportunity to talk to the experts about all things BBQ – from home smokers, different charcoals, and the best recipes and meat rubs. There is even a Talk Tent, where you can learn from the expert the very best way to grow your own chillies at home. For those who find fiery spice just too hot to handle, there will be lots of other exciting foods to try and buy, from charcuterie to biltong, artisan breads to local cheeses. And lots of mouth-watering street food such as Thai, Cuban and – of course - an authentic AmericaPit Barbecue. www.devonfireandspicefestival.co.uk

FRESH FROM THE SEA

2nd September Lobster and Crab Feast Clovelly If ever there was a competition to find the most picturesque venue for a food festival, then Clovelly surely takes first prize. With its narrow cobbled streets, picturesque harbour and rich fishing history, it really is the perfect place to try out the very best local crab and lobster. There will be a number of pop-up kitchens down on the quayside, where local chefs will cook the finest – and freshest – seafood in the south west. There will be plenty of free samples to make your mouth water, and lots of cooking demonstrations to pick up the latest culinary tips and tricks. To help set the scene, there will be live folk music throughout the day, and lots of crafts to try your hand at – perhaps learning how to spin or throw a pot! One of the most special activities for children to do will be to help in the release of baby lobsters into the sea, organised by The National Lobster Hatchery from Padstow. www.clovelly.co.uk/events/lobster-and-crab-feast

summer 2018 | FOODIE DEVON 17

TANTILISE YOUR TASTEBUDS

23rd September – 30th September Taste of the Teign Festival Teignmouth The Taste of the Teign Festival celebrates everything great about the flavours and the produce available from the River Teign estuary and the surrounding countryside, with this week-long festival full of things to see, eat, drink and buy. Throughout the week, local restaurants and cafes will feature special events or menus based on foods available from the estuary and its environs. The festival will then finish with a celebration on Teignmouth Den, to include more local food , drink & music– the perfect threesome! www.tasteoftheteign.org.uk

ONE OF THE BEST OF THE SOUTH WEST! 19th – 21st October Dartmouth Food Festival Dartmouth

One of Devon’s largest food festivals, this year the Dartmouth Food Festival celebrates its 16th year with a first-class feast of food workshops, seminars, competitions, demonstrations, produce for sale and ‘tasting shacks’. Entry is free, so everyone is welcome to come along. Each year, this landmark festival welcomes a dazzling array of international, national and local chefs as well as celebrated food writers and critics. The Festival has become renowned for showcasing the very best producers and some of Devon’s award-winning restaurateurs, and is a really important event for celebrating all our local food heroes. With its abundance of locally-produced, high quality ingredients and a growing reputation for world-class food, Dartmouth is the perfect backdrop for what has been described as a ‘feast for the senses’. www.dartmouthfoodfestival.com

And don’t forget... If your preference is for refreshments of the liquid variety, there are a number of real ale and cider festivals in the county as well! Go along to enjoy some of the best local brews Devon has to offer: 13th - 15th July

Kingsbeer Festival, Kingswear

21st July

Ipple Tipple Festival, Ipplepen

26th – 28th July South Devon’s CAMRA SUNSHINE Beer & Cider Festival, Newton Abbot 21st-23rd Sept

Abbfest, Fermoys, Ipplepen

helipad | www.daat.org

plastic un-fantastic There is a real buzz around at the moment about reducing our use of plastic products, particularly those we only use once and then throw away.

Helipad speaks to two local advocates – who share their top tips on going a little bit more plastic-free and the benefits of teaching our children how to protect and care for our precious Devon coastline. Change of the plastic tide Catherine Moss-Crump is the Executive Assistant to the Operations Director at Devon Air Ambulance. She is also a passionate advocate for reducing our reliance on single-use plastic and regularly blogs on the subject, not only to raise awareness but to offer simple, practical solutions to help everyone go a bit more ‘plastic-free’… Few things are more quintessentially British than a trip to the seaside. We think of the beach and it conjures up images of ice-cream, buckets and spades, beach huts and fish and chips. From dramatic cliffs to sandy beaches and hidden coves, the 819 kilometres of Devon’s coastline is enjoyed by thousands of people every year – from dog walkers to families, fishermen to lovers of extreme sports, all enjoying what they love doing in some of the most beautiful and dramatic of British landscapes. But does our Devon coastline conjure up images of plastic pollution? Thankfully not - but the coast so many of us love is under threat. Since its earliest creation over 100 years ago, plastic has revolutionised nearly everything in our modern world. Not only is it easy and economical to produce, it is also lightweight, flexible and extremely durable. And it’s the negative side of it being so durable that has now made it the hottest topic out there – with real concerns globally about the long term damage it may be doing to the environment and, particularly, our seas and marine wildlife. Since 1976, plastic has become the most commonly used type of material in the world but each piece of single-use plastic is used, on average, for just 20 minutes and yet takes hundreds, even thousands, of years to break up. In reality, it never truly disappears. The Marine Conservation Society’s Great British Beach Clean recorded a 10% rise in beach litter in 2017, most of which consisted of plastic. Some of the most common items found

were plastic and polystyrene pieces, crisp and sweet packets, caps and lids, cotton buds, plastic cutlery and straws. Surfers Against Sewage estimates that every day around 8 million pieces of plastic enters our oceans and has been found everywhere from Arctic ice to tropical, uninhabited, islands. Buy why, when it has so many beneficial uses, is plastic so damaging? Not only does it not biodegrade, but marine wildlife such as dolphins, whales, fish and sea birds can become entangled in it or mistake plastic items for food. Sadly, tens of thousands of them perish every year after coming into contact with plastic items. Microplastic – such as nurdles, the tiny pellets which are the raw material of all plastic items – have even been found in fish entering our own food chain. Thankfully, many people are now taking positive steps to change what have often been habits of a lifetime. This increased awareness has been nicknamed ‘The Blue Planet Effect’ after Sir David Attenborough’s ground-breaking programme, and has led to more and more people making a real effort to reduce the amount of plastic they use. Here are just a few simple, but effective, ways in which we can all reduce our use of plastic:

✔ Swap your single-use water bottle for a reusable one; ✔ Swap to a reusable coffee mug - a lot of places will even give you a discount if you bring your own; ✔ Never go shopping without reusable bags so you don’t have to buy plastic bags at the shop; ✔ Always say no to single-use plastic straws and cutlery; ✔ Get involved with beach clean-ups and other community activities to pick up litter. For more simple and easy tips, follow Catherine’s blog at www.unpackedearth.wordpress.com/ o

summer 2018 | DEVON ENVIRONMENT

teaching the next generation... If education is key to teaching young people about their environment, then Beach Schools South West is taking this very seriously. This not-for-profit community interest company is working with schools around the county with an inspiring and innovative initiative. Children from primary schools across the county are engaged in learning through play, spending time on the beach and covering many aspects of the curriculum at the same time. Tapping into their creativity, imagination and sense of adventure, youngsters go home enthused by everything they’ve done, without even realising how much they’ve learned! Ali Murray, who runs the courses for Beach Schools South West, shares their enthusiasm. “We have such great fun,” she explains. “For some children, a day with Beach Schools is their very first opportunity of feeling the sand between their toes. For others, perhaps with special needs, it’s the first time they’ve really integrated with classmates. Every session is structured in conjunction with the school, and we incorporate aspects of geography, science, maths and creativity in every day.” The day usually starts with the children collecting litter. This leads to discussions about where it’s come from, how long it might have been there, what it’s made of and how long it might last. This, in turn, leads to an enrichment of language skills including terms such as dissolve, decompose, biodegradable and sustainability. They are taught the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. One young 6 year old pupil, arriving for her second Beach Schools session, voiced her disgust, “Look at this beach! We only cleaned it all up last week and look at it again now!” Pupils also learn the importance of our oceans – from tourism to transport, wave power and water sports to fishing and the importance of seaweed. They talk about the

link between litter on the beach ending up in the oceans and the harm it can cause to marine life, to the possibility of that same litter ending up in the fish that we eat. Story-telling captures their imagination in a completely different way. Imagining that they have been on a boat that’s landed on a desert island they have to build a shelter and decide what to eat. Ali continues, “This is such a great team-building exercise. Watching them work together is so rewarding. Each shelter will be different but always creative depending on the resources available. I love that one team used stones around their camp ‘to keep out the wolves’. They make ‘sand sandwiches’ and seaweed sushi. Some will use stones to make an SOS, others will use seaweed or sticks.” Teachers and parents alike recognise the value of these outdoor educational days, which can also be tailored to meet different learning styles. Just some of the benefits that have been noted from being outside are better sleep patterns and appetite, self-esteem, self-worth, kindness and team work. Ending the day with a campfire, on which the children toast marshmallows, is always a highlight. Ali concludes, “We are doing our bit to educate the next generation to recognise the importance of the environment and we know these lessons are having a positive impact. The best reward was hearing a young lad say as he was collected, “Grandad, I’ve had the most amazing day – I’ve learned SOOOO much!” To find out more about Beach Schools, visit: www.beachschoolssouthwest.co.uk

helipad | www.daat.org

School Trip Drama Patrick Talbot from Staines in Middlesex was delighted to receive an invitation to our 25th anniversary party last September. The event also brought back many details of the day that Devon Air Ambulance saved him and he was thrilled to personally thank two very special paramedics. Here is his story:

n 2nd April 2012, I experienced what might be called an occupational hazard when, as a teacher on a Geography field trip, I fell off a cliff! I had been with a party on the South West Coastal Path but had lingered at the village of Torcross with a pupil who was being picked up by his dad for a football tour. With the lad successfully collected, I was now free to catch up with the rest of the party. To save time and with the tide out, I made the decision to keep to the beach below, rather than regain the coastal path above. This choice was fine as I walked quickly along the yielding shingle, the breaking waves barely propelling a gentle swash up the beach as the low sun shone strongly on one side of my face. I had been able to walk round any jutting rocks but just before Beesands, where the party had stopped

Helen Mackie, Patrick and Kate Adlam

for lunch, was a large craggy headland. This was the only place where seawater reached the cliff and was deep enough for me to have to choose between taking off walking boots and socks to paddle round or clamber up the headland. I went for the latter -

Fortunately, a couple were on the beach and saw me fall. Paul ran over and stopped me from my obvious attempt to get up, while Julie rang 999. I felt no pain and initially thought all the trouble over me embarrassing, especially with the arrival of a shiny red

“ A slip, a helpless moment and a hollow thud later, I was sitting on the shingle beach 30 or 40 feet below. ” big mistake! Up over the fallen rock I went on the nearside of the headland, to reach a convenient shoulder half way up. Then, across the rocks I went and I stared down a cliff face beyond, which offered no clear way down. With no obvious plan, I optimistically started to descend. A slip, a helpless moment and a hollow thud later, I was sitting on the shingle beach 30 or 40 feet below.

helicopter. I was, however, struggling to move – little wonder as I had broken my pelvis in two places - but what I didn’t realise was that I had also broken a rib, which had torn my aorta. I needed an immediate operation! The ability of the pilot, Pete, to land the helicopter on Beesands Beach made that possible and the paramedics could not have been more reassuring. I was whisked

straight off to the rooftop at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth for two operations, five weeks in two hospitals and, subsequently, a full recovery. My main hope in coming to the anniversary celebrations at Darts Farm was to thank the crew involved. I remembered the paramedics were both female, which took me to Kate Adlam, still working for Devon Air Ambulance. She also called over former colleague, Helen Mackie, from the gathering. I was delighted to be able to thank both of them in person for saving my life, and was particularly touched by the fact that they both remembered the incident. “It was your pelvis, wasn’t it?” said Helen, as if it had been yesterday! Thank you so much for your swift rescue, Devon Air Ambulance. Without your prompt action, I know that I wouldn’t be here today. o

summer 2018 | LOTTERY

LOTTERY

Profile: Tracy Owen - Fundraising Manager Email: t.owen@daat.org Tracy has been with DAA for over 10 years and oversees all aspects of fundraising, including working with those who have nominated us as their Charity of the Year, business supporters and our own in-house Lottery.

How our lottery works... Membership Application Form You can simply complete our lottery membership application form (see overleaf) or go to our website to download and print off a membership form. A weekly membership number costs £1 or, of course, you can double your chances of winning by having two numbers! You can also pick up a copy of the form from any of our 19 shops. Find details of your nearest DAA shop at: www.daat.org/Pages/FAQs/ Category/shop-locations. Once completed, post your form to us and we will do the rest!

We love to tell you about all the great benefits that playing our lottery brings – not only in supporting Devon Air Ambulance, but for our lucky winning members! However, we thought it would be a good time to go back to basics, and remind you how to become one of our valued lottery members, and the variety of ways you can sign up, pay and play: Canvassers You may see our lovely canvassers, Michelle and Marcia, out and about in the local community, perhaps at your local superstore or garden centre. They can take your details electronically (so no form filling!) and sign you up as lottery members while you wait (for added security, they will ask to see some form of id such as a bank card or driving licence).

And remember... • Once we have received your membership application, we will send you a ‘welcome letter’ with your unique ‘lucky’ number. • There is no minimum or maximum length of membership – so you have peace of mind if, for whatever reason, you need to cancel your membership. However, there is a administration cost to setting up new members, so the longer you stay a member, the more you donate! • We never ‘cold call’ or do any form of door-to-door canvassing, and we never share your personal details with any third party. • The lottery draw takes place every Friday lunchtime, with the winning numbers randomly drawn by computer. All winning cheques then go out in the first-class post on Friday afternoon and we also telephone our lucky winner, to give them the great news that a cheque for £1,350 will be dropping through their letterbox in the next day or two!

LOTTERY Each week:  One lucky winner receives £1,350,  Two members each receive £135 and  Ten runners-up each receive £50

•

Marcia

Michelle

Marcia

Agents Our preferred method of payment is Direct Debit, as it really helps to reduce administration time and costs, meaning that even more of every pound you donate through the lottery goes towards supporting our operations. However, we know that some people prefer to pay by cash, so we are very grateful to around 70 small shops, local post offices and convenience stores who act as ‘agents’ for us. Once you have become a member, you can pop into your local agent and pay for your lottery membership with cash. To find a list of all our local agents, visit: www.daat.org/agents

Not only are you in with a chance of winning a great cash prize, but the contribution our lottery members make to the continued operations of the charity is invaluable. For every £1 entry, an average of 76p is donated to the charity and, in 2017, we were delighted to reach record sales of over £2m! And the great news is that, as our lottery income has increased, we can now put even more money into our operations. If you are not already a member, I hope I have inspired you to join our lottery – it’s easy to do, and not only do you have the weekly anticipation of winning a cash prize, you know you are also doing something amazing in supporting Devon’s very own air ambulance service.

Lottery Membership Application The sum of (tick one box only)

DAATLottery Lottery Office, Office,55 Sandpiper SandpiperCourt, Court,Harrington HarringtonLane, Lane,Exeter ExeterEX4 EX48NS 4NS DAAT The address is all is youallneed us by post.us by post. Thepostal above postalabove address youwhen needcontacting when contacting Staff I/D Number

HP7/18 HP1116

Your Details

1 Chance Number £4.34 Monthly

2 Chances Numbers £8.68 Monthly

£13.00

Quarterly

£26.00

Quarterly

£52 £26.00

Annually Six Monthly

£104 £52.00

Annually Six Monthly

£52.00 Please Annually note your

£104.00will Annually first payment be £5 per number

For Official Use Only

Official Use Only

Payments to be paid on either 6th 20th of each month First payment due immediately andorthereafter on 6th or 20th of each month. PLEASE COMPLETE IN FULL - BLOCK CAPITAL LETTERS

Mr / Mrs / Miss / Other First Name Surname Date of Birth

Instruction to your bank or building society to pay by Direct Debit Please fill in the form and send to: PSL re DAAT Lottery Office, 5 Sandpiper Court, Harrington Lane, Exeter EX4 8NS.

Name and full postal address of your bank or building society To: The M anager

Address

Service user number 4

B a n k / b u ild in g s o c ie t y

Address

Postcode

Postcode Telephone

Name(s) of account holder(s)

Email I Confirm I am 16 yrs of age or over

Branch sort code

Cheque Payment - Amount Received £.................. entries @ £1 per week per entry

Lottery promoted by Devon Air Ambulance Trust. Devon Air Ambulance Trust is licensed by the Gambling Commission, Number 000-0005032-N-308657-001. Responsible person: C. Creer www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk Please gamble responsibly. For advice visit www.gambleaware.co.uk DAAT is a member of the Lotteries Council and is committed to promoting a responsible approach to gambling. Contact us at : T: 01392 469 886 E: lottery@daat.org www.daat.org

Administration Office: DAAT Lottery Office, 5 Sandpiper Court, Harrington Lane, Exeter EX4 8NS. You will shortly receive a letter from us showing your lucky number/s. There is no need to claim as all prizes are paid automatically.

All proceeds go to support the Devon Air Ambulance Trust Charity No 1077998. Your subscription is greatly appreciated. In 2017 it cost £6.4 million to keep both helicopters flying. We receive no funding from either the Government or the National Lottery. We rely on your support, to help us to continue our essential lifesaving service. Results are printed in the Plymouth & Devon Sunday Independent and published every Friday afternoon on our website at www.daat.org. Thank you for your support - you are truly making a difference.

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Instruction to your bank or building society Please pay Devon Air Ambulance Trust Direct Debits from the account detailed in this Instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this Instruction may remain with The Air Ambulance Lottery Society and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my bank/building society. Signature(s)

Date

• All customer funds intended for the use in future gambling and or lottery subscriptions will be held in a separate bank account or accounts relating to the relevant affiliated charity lottery and will be completely separate from the Charity’s trading income. • We are required by our licence to inform customers about what happens to funds which we hold on account for you, and the extent to which funds are protected in the event of insolvency. www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/consumers/protection-of-customer-funds.aspx We hold customer funds separate from Charity’s funds. This means that steps have been taken to protect customer funds but that there is no absolute guarantee that all funds will be repaid. This meets the Gambling Commission’s requirements for the segregation of customer funds at the level: medium protection. • The licensee operates a strict no ‘cash policy’ to prevent the risk of crimes such as money laundering, to avoid the giving of illicit credit and to provide assurances that gambling activities are being conducted fairly. Banks and building societies may not accept Direct Debit Instructions for some types of account.

By signing this form you agree to the lottery terms and conditions. For a copy of the terms and conditions please call 01392 469886.

This Guarantee should be retained by the payer.

The Direct Debit Guarantee This Guarantee is offered by all banks and building societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit PSL re DAAT Lottery will notify you 5 working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request The PSL re DAAT Lottery to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by PSL re DAAT Lottery or your bank or building society, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society – If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when PSL re DAAT Lottery asks you to. You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us.

DAA would like to keep you informed about our work, how your support has helped keep our helicopters in the air and how you can be involved in the future. We take the protection of your personal information very seriously and don’t share your data with any third party. If you would like to hear from us, please tick the relevant boxes below: Please contact me by email ¨ Please contact me by post ¨ Please contact me by text ¨

To read our Supporter Promise: www.daat.org/supporter-promise email us at fundraising@daat.org or ring 01392 466666

For

summer 2018 | PATIENTS

What a long day...

Jenny Barnes from Ilfracombe was on the telephone to her daughter one morning in October 2017 when she heard a terrific crash from outside. “I’ve got to go,” she hurriedly explained, “I think your dad’s just fallen off the ladder!”

s she had feared, Jenny found her husband Martin in a crumpled heap on the patio, with one of his legs still tangled in the rungs. He had been mending a roof tile and clearing the moss when the ladder slipped from under him and Martin had fallen backwards. As Martin assured her he was ok and tried to get up, Jenny saw blood trickling onto the patio from an obvious head injury. Begging her husband to stay still, Jenny grabbed towels to stem the flow and to protect his head, whilst phoning 999. Confirming to the calltaker that Martin was awake and conscious, Jenny fetched more towels for the bleeding and a blanket to keep him warm while they waited for an ambulance. Jenny remembers that they both heard and saw a red helicopter circling overhead and Martin joked that “they can’t possibly have sent a helicopter for me, can they?” “Even Gizmo, our lurcher, was

excited – he thought it was great fun that ‘dad’ was lying on the ground!” Little did they realise that the Air Ambulance had indeed been dispatched and it landed in Bicclescombe Park, a short distance from their home. Aircrew paramedics, Lee Hilton and John Shaddick were dropped at the scene by a passing motorist just as a land ambulance crew also arrived. As they attended to

in Plymouth, explaining to Jenny that he may be kept in overnight. As the land crew drove away, to drop the aircrew and Martin back at the helicopter, Jenny took stock of what had happened – and shock set in. Realising that it would be some time before Derriford hospital staff would be able to tell her how long Martin would be there, and recognising that she was

“ They both heard and saw a red helicopter circling overhead and Martin joked that “they can’t possibly have sent a helicopter for me, can they?” ” Martin, cutting his clothes off to extricate his leg from the ladder and checking his head wound, there was relief that he was still able to communicate with them and explain what had happened. Seeing a ‘starburst’ wound and knowing that Martin would need scans and stitches, the aircrew set about preparing him for a flight to Derriford Hospital

too shocked to drive herself, Jenny kept herself busy – in part by cleaning the patio! By late afternoon, Jenny learned that her husband had been seen and treated, and was going to be allowed home that same evening. Gathering herself together, along with clothes and food for Martin, she set off on the long drive to Plymouth –

taking Gizmo for company. Arriving at 8.00pm, Jenny’s first thought at the busy trauma unit was that it was like something from a television drama – with patients on trollies and people rushing everywhere. Finally locating her husband, and with confirmation that he was all stitched up and ready to leave, they set off for the return journey back to Ilfracombe, getting home at midnight. For the next 10 days, Martin visited his local surgery for the dressing to be checked and changed and, other than aches and bruises, he considers that he ‘got away lightly’. “The emergency services were superb, I couldn’t believe they sent a helicopter! The accident left me with some minor visual impairment which I hope will settle down in time and it’s made me quite nervous of doing things now. As the doctor said, ‘None of us are getting any younger – just take it easy’.” o

Martin meets paramedic John Shaddick at an airbase visit.

helipad | www.daat.org

GARDENS Profile: Sarah Chesters - Education and Learning manager at RHS Rosemoor

definitely worth the effort! “When I moved to my new home nearly two years ago, I was determined to make life a little easier and plant only trees and shrubs, no perennials at all...” Read on to find out why Sarah Chesters changed her mind!

ell, that resolution didn’t last long and yes, I have planted a great many trees and shrubs but it really is impossible to dismiss perennials as they are just invaluable, providing floral beauty, scent, colour and seasonal interest, and I actually don’t mind the extra time they need. To brighten up your garden, or containers, the daisy family provides so much long-lasting colour with Helenium, Gaillardia, Echinacea, Cosmos – the latter is quick and easy from seed, or buy plug plants. These will keep producing flowers for months, some until the first frosts, provided they are well watered, fed and dead-headed to encourage more flowers. Other perennials with striking foliage as well as flowers, are the ginger lilies, Hedychium, the exoticleaved cannas, Canna striata has stunning leaves,

and the toad lily, Tricyrtis, which will benefit from a cool, partially shaded area. Perennials usually form clumps, so can be divided up in spring to make more plants which once planted will bulk up fast to fill an area. Try to buy a perennial which completely fills the pot, soak it in a bucket of water and carefully divide it into two or three parts

when you buy them, some growth may wilt initially but should recover if watered regularly. Last summer a friend gave me several spare Penstemon which filled a few spaces and this year they have grown very well. Everyone used to grow them at one time and then they fell out of favour, who knows why! They are easy

“ To brighten up your garden, or containers, the daisy family provides so much long-lasting colour ” before planting, and you can immediately make a clump with just one pot. Not all perennials are large enough to do this when you first buy them, so only divide those which completely fill the pot, and keep them well watered until established to get them through the shock of division. If they’re in flower

to grow, have a wide range of flower colours, some with beautiful speckles inside and they’re good for flower-arranging. They also take easily from cuttings and give a good long show of late summer colour. Treat them like fuchsias and cut the woody stems to the ground in late April, as the dead looking stems

protect the young basal shoots from frost. Once the evenings start to cool, we begin to see changes in foliage colours, the grass seedheads develop and other perennials like Sedum and Dahlia extend the flower season. Many people think autumn colour is only provided by trees and if you have a small garden this isn’t always possible, however, some shrubs also give good colour. The smokebush, Cotinus, the acid soil-loving Fothergilla, the delectable rich purple, yes purple berries of Callicarpa ‘Profusion’, and the waterfall of red leaves and orangered fruits of the spindle Euonymous ‘Red Cascade’. If you do have room for a small to medium tree, the slow-growing Stewartia is worth considering. It needs acid soil and has lovely single, camellia-like flowers in mid-summer and glorious autumn colour. o

summer 2018 | GARDENS

Cosmos bipinnatus Cosmix White

Liquidambar styraciflua Wisley King Helenium autumnale Ranchera

Tricyrtis formosana

Canna striata

Echinacea purpurea

A dv ice Lin e

Penstemon Bodnant

Im prove your soil â&#x20AC;&#x201C; every rotted ga rd en co m po st or tim e you pl ant, ad d we llpl antin g ho le, m ix it with ot he r org an ic m atte r to th e ag ai n, sp rin kle in so m e both e so il, dig out th e ho le growth, pl ant, fill in with ne m ea l to en courag e root we ll an d m ulch. Ch eck wath e soil/co m po st m ix, wate r to m ak e su re th e pl ant es te rin g th rou gh out first year ta blish es we ll M ulch arou nd pl ants an but on ly wh en th e soil is d over all soil if you ca n, of co m po sted ba rk, we ll- m oist. A 2-3 â&#x20AC;? (5 -7c m) la ye r co m po st or fa rm ya rd m anrotted lea f co m po st, ga rd en prevents m oistu re evapora ure sh ad es th e so il an d fro m a m ore consta nt su pptin g so fa st. Th e pl ants be ne fit coole r, so un de r less stress ly of wate r, th eir roots are an d th ey grow bett er.

The

Golden Chain Helipadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Neil Devons finds out why our glorious North Devon beaches easily rival those of our continental cousins

summer 2018 | BEAUTIFUL DEVON

eautiful long beaches with pristine golden sand, white rolling waves bringing in the surfers and body boarders to shore like so many racing seals, endless dunes enticing inquisitive children and dedicated sun seekers and glorious, unforgettable seascapes that enhance that exhilarating feeling of escape and freedom. Surely this is France, Italy, Spain? It could be but it is also a fair description of what you can get much closer to home if you take the time to visit our wonderful North Devon beaches. So what makes them so special? Well, it’s hard to know where to start. They are amongst the largest and most unspoilt in the United Kingdom. All of them are wonderfully photogenic and many are award-winning. They are user-friendly for a wide range of visitors, from families who want a fun day out to keen water sports enthusiasts. Walkers love them because most of the beaches are connected by the South West Coastal Path and afford truly spectacular views while the area is simply irresistible to those who just want a cup of tea, an ice cream or a doze in the sunshine before sampling the local pubs, cafés and

restaurants. You can enjoy easy access to many beaches through plentiful parking which helps surfers and other water babies get from the car to the coast quickly. Families can offload their picnics, windbreaks, beach games and rock pooling nets and, if they haven’t brought it with them, there are plenty of shops that will provide what they need. With some seasonal variations, many North Devon beaches are also dog-friendly – so that’s another box ticked. Beachside shops and rental outlets abound and will also provide whatever you need for surfing, windsurfing, body boarding, kayaking, kitesurfing, paddle boarding, jet-skiing and the many other new and old waterborne activities. If you’ve not been before, it’s wise to do a little advance research to ensure your choice of beach has the facilities and accessibility you’ll need. North Devon beaches stretch from Bideford and Westward Ho! in the west to Ilfracombe and Combe Martin in the east. Many are breathtakingly large and popular while others are more hidden and need a degree of determination and planning to get to. We visited just a few in the centre of this golden chain.

Saunton Sands A long, straight sandy beach, Saunton Sands is perfect for families and surfing beginners because of its shallow tide and plenty of space. It is a dog-friendly environment and is backed by the warren of sand dunes known as the Braunton Burrows. Nearby, there are beach shops and food outlets. Saunton is also the only beach in North Devon to have a Landeez all terrain wheelchair for hire, allowing access to the beach and even usable in the sea shallows – a wonderful vehicle that can transform the holiday experience of less abled or disabled adults and children.

Braunton Burrows The Burrows form a huge network of sand dunes which have been designated the UNESCO North Devon Biosphere Reserve. It is an important site for bio-diversity and, at 5 kilometres long and 1½ kilometres wide is an impressive area to walk, play and study. Located behind Saunton Sands at the mouth of the Taw-Torridge estuary, the Burrows are one of the most important examples of a dune network in Britain. Near its centre, sand mounds can be up to 30 metres high so you can image the fun and adventure a visit there will bring. Braunton Burrows is also prime dog-walking country but dog owners are asked to be aware of the significance of its environment and the pleasure it brings to thousands – so the message is to always keep your dogs under control and don’t forget to clean up after them. Braunton itself is a large village and a hub for surfing, housing the Museum of British Surfing, located in the old goods shed at Braunton Station. The village has a range of beach shops, restaurants and pubs and nearby there are plenty of camping and caravanning sites, guest houses and a few hotels.

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Croyde Bay In the last few decades, tourism to Croyde has boomed due to the rise in the popularity of surfing. The westfacing bay attracts experienced surfers the year round but it is quite sheltered so also attracts families to a choice of three lovely beaches, safe in the knowledge that there is a lifeguard present and plenty of on-site facilities. There are organised rock pool rambles to discover the local marine life and ‘coasteering’ sessions for the adventurous combining climbing, swimming and jumping. The more sedentary-minded visitors might like to check out Croyde’s Deckchair Cinema which has been showing top movies for over 10 years. Accommodation in Croyde is plentiful and there is a full array of pubs, restaurants, cafés, beach shops and water sports hire as well as cycling, horse riding, golf and tennis. The weekend nearest the Summer Solstice also sees Croyde host the Goldcoast Oceanfest a combination of water sports, outdoor adventure activities and live music with over 20 bands.

Baggy Point Baggy Point is a headland that separates Croyde and Morte Bays. It is a well-trodden feature of the South West Coastal Path affording views towards Bideford Bay and Hartland in one direction and Woolacombe Beach and Lundy Island in the other. This stunning headland, which is owned, managed and protected by the National Trust, has an easyaccess walking trail and families can even borrow free activity packs. The rugged coastline here provides an excellent opportunity for discovering seabirds, spotting seals and searching for invertebrates, reptiles, all sorts of mammals and even some Devon Red cattle whose grazing helps to keep the clifftop habitat diverse and sustainable.

Putsborough Sands Beach Just around the headland is Putsborough Sands Beach where arriving at the car park entrance high above the beach certainly has the WOW factor! This beach is hugely popular with surfers because of the energy of its waves and because it is protected from south and south-westerly winds by Baggy Point. It enjoys all the beachside facilities you’ll need with a café, restaurant, toilets and even a lost child centre. Putsborough also caters for most water sports activities, and even has its own slipway.

summer 2018 | BEAUTIFUL DEVON

Mortehoe Beach (Rockham) Mortehoe Beach is a secluded sandy beach in a bay backed by rocky cliffs below the charming village of the same name. It is dog-friendly, tranquil and has some outstanding rock pools to explore. However, you can’t get to this one by car so it is unsuitable for anyone with mobility issues. Instead there is a two kilometre coastal walk to the beach, but you are rewarded with some spectacular views and fascinating flora and fauna on the way. Getting to the beach culminates with three steep flights of stairs that were reinstated a few years ago after storm damage. The beach needs to be visited at low tide so check tidal tables before setting out. Don’t let it worry you but the rocky nature of this coastline and its treacherous currents meant that it was once notorious for shipwrecks which endowed with it with the name Mortehoe - or Death Point!

Woolacombe Arguably the jewel in the crown of Devon beaches, Woolacombe Beach is a spectacular three miles of gently sloping sand, part of the North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is multi award-winning and, among many other accolades, was ranked as Britain’s Best Beach, the 4th best in Europe and 13th best in the world by TripAdvisor. It is monitored regularly by the environment agency and consistently meets its highest standards. It is hardly surprising then that Woolacombe is a magnet for surfers and families alike. One advantage it that its three miles of uninterrupted sands means you can always find a fairly quiet spot even in high season and, with over 3000 car parking spaces in three large car parks, you shouldn’t be searching for a space for long.

Our beautiful county has so much going for it - it would take a lifetime to visit, enjoy and describe it all. These are just a few of the fabulous places in North Devon’s ‘golden chain’ of beaches but there are many more and the best way of learning about them is to get out and explore them for yourself – all year round. Enjoy but be vigilant Being beside the sea is a joy but it can have it dangers so it’s worth remembering a few simple tips to stay safe this summer: þ  þ  þ  þ 

Make sure you wear the appropriate clothing for the activity you have chosen; Take a look at the weather forecast and check the tide times and whether the beach you are going to enjoy is affected by high tide; Check if there are lifeguards on duty and whether the sea near where you’ll be is subject to rip tides; Don’t let children out of your sight and, even on a family day out, make sure you have a full-charged mobile phone with you.

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Saturday 13 & Sunday 14 October 2018 Woodbury Common, Exmouth

5k or 10k

www.commandochallenge.co.uk call or email for more info

Individuals & Teams

t.org 01392 466666 fundraising@daa #RMCdoChallenge

5k or 10k

OUR CHARITIES Images ÂŠ photo-fit.net

Registered Charity No.1077998

Registered Charity No.11342

summer 2018 | PATIENTS

Unexpected end to a day out... As we look forward with eager anticipation to our annual Motorcycle Ride Out, the date of this year’s event, 15th July, will certainly bring back memories for one particular motorcyclist.

esley Bird has been a keen motorbike rider for many years and, on 15th July last year, she and her partner were enjoying the ride from their home in South Brent to Quince Farm at South Molton … but things didn’t go quite according to plan. It’s unknown exactly what happened but Lesley, on her Suzuki V twin Gladius 650cc pride and joy, was involved in a collision with a car on a bend of the A377 Crediton to Lapford road. The impact, at a combined

speed of around 75 mph, caused severe injuries to Lesley – including multiple fractures of her pelvis, broken femur and knee, four ribs, both arms broken AND a perforated bowel. Partner Pete Batten was at Lesley’s side as the Devon Air Ambulance landed and aircrew Darren Goodwin, Mark Hodkinson and Dr Dawson rushed to help. Sedation was administered at the scene and Lesley was closely monitored as she was flown to Derriford Hospital where she had

“ Lesley is now planning a party to celebrate her forthcoming 60th birthday and has requested donations to DAA from friends and family, in lieu of gifts, as a way of saying thank you ”

scans and surgery to fit various pins and plates to her broken bones. Lesley spent 48 hours in Intensive Care and a total of three months in hospital, including a spell in rehabilitation and at Kingsbridge Hospital. Helipad Editor, Debbie Gregory, was pleased to learn that Lesley was now making a good recovery. Lesley explained, “I’m still not able to hop, skip or jump and I’m not back on my bike (yet), but I’m actually doing really well

and so happy to be walking and mobile again.” Lesley is now planning a party to celebrate her forthcoming 60th birthday and has requested donations to DAA from friends and family, in lieu of gifts, as a way of saying thank you. When asked if she would be able to dance at her party, Lesley said “I’ll be able to do a slow smooch with Pete but then I’m going to put a bar stool in the middle of the dance floor and let everyone dance around me!” o

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Helipad finds out about geocaching, a modern take on the traditional treasure hunt that’s a worldwide craze you may never have heard of (yet!)

f you are looking for something to do with the children over the long summer holidays, you could follow the lead of DAA’s own Maxine Hancox and her daughter Daisy - and think about trying Geocaching (pronounced Geo-cash-ing). Geocaching is an out-and-

about treasure hunt that, instead of paper clues, uses the GPS technology on most smart phones to help you navigate your way to a set of co-ordinates and locate a geocache (container) hidden at that location. Although not a household word for most of us, ‘geocaching’ is truly

Plan

• It’s easy – download the Geocaching app or visit www.geocaching.com • Create a free account and log in. • Search for a place or postcode that you are

interested in visiting – the choices are endless - are you looking for an easy stroll, and afternoon in the park or a full-day adventure with the entire family? Pack water, food and ‘swag’ and start your search.

•

global - with an estimated five million people playing worldwide and an incredible three million hidden caches to discover. “Geocaching is a really fun way for all the family to get out and about in the fresh air” said Maxine, “and perfect if you have trouble prising

your children away from their technology! Not only is it great exercise, it also helps develop skills like problem-solving and team work. All you need is a sense of fun and adventure, and a smart phone”. So, here are Maxine and Daisy’s four easy steps to becoming a ‘geocacher’...

summer 2018 | OUT & ABOUT

Hunt

• Arrive at your destination and, using the online map or compass, navigate your way towards the geocache location R  emember, the best route might not be in a straight line! W  ithin 15 metres of the geocache location, start looking around for the cache – it might not be as easy as you think, some are extremely well camouflaged and cleverly hidden.

• •

Find

• Geocaches vary greatly in size and appearance –

some can be easy to find, others can be concealed in unusual places! You could find anything from a large, plastic container to a hidden compartment in a fake rock, or tucked away out of sight in a familiar piece of street furniture, such as a street sign. I f you get stuck, use the available hints, past logs, photos and description to point you in the right direction to find your ‘cache’.

•

Daisy looks for a well hidden cache

Log

• Each cache contains a ‘log book’ so make sure you sign it. • If you take some ‘swag’ swop it for something of equal or greater value. • If you are lucky enough to find a ‘trackable’, help it on its journey by relocating it into another cache as soon as possible.  Rehide the geocache you have found  Post your stories and photos in your online log, so the owner and other geocachers can read all about it.

• •

Here’s what’s in the box... Some caches are very small!

Swag and Trackables Many caches contain items or trinkets for you to collect, ranging from small toys, pens, marbles, keyrings, bracelet and many more. Make sure you take your own supply of swag with you so you can leave something behind if you take something. Trackables are official ‘game pieces’, each etched with a unique code so that its journey can be logged and tracked – some have been recorded travelling hundreds or thousands of miles.

There are a few important rules to remember when geocaching: ✔ Only leave safe and family- friendly items; ✔ Don’t leave any items of food or drink; ✔ Geocaches should not be buried; ✔ Observe local laws and obey signs; ✔ Respect property and the environment; ✔ Move on ‘trackables’ promptly; ✔ Have fun! For more information, visit the Geocaching Association of Great Britain on www.gagb.org.uk or find them on facebook or twitter.

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We have been treated to all sorts of weather extremes in the last few months, from heavy snow and glorious sunshine, to warm sunshine and frosts. For my travels cooking at festivals around the country this summer, I never know whether to pack my shorts or waterproofs!

’ll be at Buckfast Abbey’s summer food event in July looking after the chef stage, and I will also be ‘treading the super-theatre boards’ with Devon resident Kirstie Allsopp at her Handmade Fair at Bowood House in Wiltshire at the end of June. I’ll be making chocolates and truffles, as well as a few thousand scones and looking after some hospitality businesses along the way! As the weather finally warms up, now’s the time to fire up the barbecue. As a change from burgers and bangers, perhaps try a local gurnard fillet or hake or go even more indulgent by putting a few scallops in their shell on the hot coals with a good dollop of garlic and herb butter. And, don’t forget our wonderful spring lamb - try a few of the cheaper cuts, for example a boneless shoulder, basted with rosemary and garlic oil and slowly cooked over the low embers of a dying barbecue for 2-3 hours, served with a refreshing coriander, cucumber and Greek yoghurt dip. And, how about some goat? I know a lot of you may recoil

at the fact, but it’s just like lamb really - I would suggest either getting a whole saddle and roasting in the oven with some root vegetables or get a leg of kid, and marinate in curry spices and pineapple juice. Leave the leg overnight or for up to two days, turning occasionally, then slow roast or barbecue and serve with some Tzatziki dip and middle eastern salads. If you have trouble sourcing goat, contact the guys from ‘Cabrito’ in Axminster as they do it mail order!

tasty side dish. Turn cucumbers into a chutney with dill and grain mustard, perfect with cold salmon or prawns, or try peppery radishes - an underrated vegetable - sliced thinly and drizzled with a little cider vinegar and some oil or roasted whole with rapeseed oil and garlic for a veggie alternative. Or make a refreshing starter or light lunch by blending peas into a chilled summer soup with a touch of crème fraiche or a hint of coriander.

“ We are really spoiled by the abundance of lovely summer fruit such as peaches, nectarines, cherries and apricots ” Never forget the bounty of the kitchen garden at this time of year. Wonderful plump tomatoes straight from the vine with a pinch of salt and pepper and a drop of oil (you get the best flavour from tomatoes if served at room temperature). Courgettes are also plentiful, so slice lengthways and bake in a gratin dish, layered with a four-cheese white sauce for a

We are really spoiled by the abundance of lovely summer fruit such as peaches, nectarines, cherries and apricots, flamed in a little amaretto liqueur and a good dusting of icing sugar, served warm over some ice cream. Blackcurrants, strawberries, raspberries and gooseberries all make a great filling for a Summer Pudding or Eton Mess, or even cooked into a

fool or crumble with lashings of double and clotted cream! (we’ll worry about our waistlines later!) Or why not have a go at making your own blackcurrant liqueur! Take a litre of vodka and a kilo of blackcurrants (some crushed, some not). Add the fruit to the vodka and then add 250ml of sugar syrup (500ml water and 500ml granulated sugar boiled until reduced by 1/3). Put all the ingredients into an airtight jar for two weeks and store in a cool dark place, before straining through fine muslin and bottling. Add to a glass of bubbly or lemonade for a great summer drink. My recipe this month brings oodles of flavour to the muchmaligned chicken. So, enjoy our wonderful summer, eat lots, cook lots, explore and have fun! And remember all our guys and girls in the Air Ambulance, RNLI, Coastguard, lifesaving clubs, Dartmoor rescue and all the people out there keeping us and our visitors safe, so give generously when you can. (Now where’s the cider!) o

summer 2018 | FOOD & DRINK

Southern Barbecue Marinated Spatchcock Chicken Serves 4 1 spatchcocked chicken 1 medium onion roughly chopped 150ml water 100ml tomato ketchup 75ml honey or black treacle 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 dsp smoked paprika ½ tsp chilli powder 1 tsp chopped dried herbs ½ tsp garlic granules 1 red chilli finely chopped ½ tsp ground black pepper ½ tsp salt

Method: 1. To make the marinade, place onion and water in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. In a medium saucepan, whisk the pureed onion with the remaining ingredients. Bring to a low simmer and cook, uncovered, until sauce thickens – roughly 20 to 30 minutes. Cool sauce to room temperature before using (store in a sealed container in the refrigerator and use within a week). 2. Take your spatchcocked chicken and score the flesh with a sharp knife to allow the heat and flavours to permeate the meat, and generously coat in the marinade. 3. Griddle, grill or barbecue for 15-20 mins per side or roast for 40 minutes (depending on size of bird). 4. Baste with the marinade throughout the cooking process. 5. Make sure the juices run clear and let the bird rest for 10-15 minutes before you carve it or, even better, pull apart and eat with your fingers! 6. Serve with sour cream, a rich apple coleslaw, lots of tomato salad and chilled wine or cider. How to spatchcock a chicken (or ask your butcher to do it for you) • Place chicken breast-side down, with the legs towards you. • Using sturdy scissors or poultry shears, cut up along each side of the parson’s nose and backbone to remove it, cutting through the rib bones as you go. • Open the chicken out and turn over. Flatten the breastbone with the heel of your hand so that the meat is all one thickness.

FOOD & DRINK Profile: Richard Hunt - Chef Devon born and bred, Richard Hunt, consultant Chef and culinary judge has worked in renowned restaurants and hotels across the UK and in Europe and is now proprietor of the Devon Scone Company.

Cupboard Love helipad | www.daat.org

DAA volunteer Jill Sweet tells us how she was beguiled by a tall, attractive stranger in our Furniture & Electrical Store in Exeter!

t was leaning against my lounge wall, dark, brooding and sullen. No, not my darling partner (may the sun shine upon him!) but an old mahogany style wooden wall unit circa 1983. I felt the need for something lighter and brighter in my life, furniture wise that is, and so the old cabinet had to go. It was duly dismembered and taken to that great resting place of old wood the recycling plant down near Sainsburys in Exeter. You should have seen the dust and fluff on the top of it! But I’m so short I didn’t notice. In search of a replacement unit to keep books/glasses/ ornaments etc, I went to look for a new cupboard. I tried the local furniture shops and found that a replacement would cost between £800£1000. Perhaps I had been too hasty dispensing with my old dark friend. Working as a volunteer for Devon Air Ambulance, I had spoken to people who wanted to donate furniture for sale to our Furniture & Electrical Store in Exeter, so I guessed it might be worth a look to see if there was anything suitable. What a pleasant surprise - not a shop full of dowdy castoffs, but lovely furniture that looked like new but for a fraction of the price.

You could have kitted out a lounge and dining room for the price of the units I saw in the furniture shops. It was then that I saw him, all tall and teak, with mirrors, glass shelves and lights! It was love at first sight, what girl wouldn’t be beguiled by all that charm. I love a bit of sparkle. I knew he’d cheer up my room. I paid up and arranged delivery. The lovely guys brought him into my lounge with great care and no small effort, mirrors and glass are very heavy and I reflected on the fact that they had been through all this before on the removal from its former home. Well done boys. So now it stands in my lounge, lights on, and full of my glasses. My happy choice was confirmed when I looked in the drawers, it had little silver stars and moons in it left behind I guess from a previous party. I knew at once it was my kind of furniture, ready for entertainment. To the lovely people who donated it to Devon Air Ambulance, your cabinet has a new lease of life and will be well looked after and enjoyed by us. We entertain a lot, so I’m sure in time it will collect a few more party sprinkles. o

THINKING OF DONATING?

If you would like to donate to one of our charity shops visit www.daat.org to find out what our shops can accept and how to request a collection of bulky items for our “Don’t hesit ate, Donate Exeter Furniture & ” Y o u ’r e Electrical Store. sure to

So folks... make som eone very happy !

summer 2018 | PATIENTS

Found in my gateway! With a history of strokes in her family, Penelope Moore of Upottery, near Honiton, tells Helipad’s Debbie Gregory of her relief at being helped by Devon Air Ambulance when she collapsed one spring morning back in 2013...

oth of my parents died from strokes and on Sunday 14th April 2013, while I was changing the flowers on their grave, I suddenly found I was unable to put the daffodil stems in to the pot of water. Then I fell over and rolled towards the next row of grave stones. I lay there, with no movement in my right side, for more than forty minutes. I know that because the church bells began to ring and they ring for 40 minutes. Some while after the bells had stopped, I knew I needed help and using the side of the headstone, I managed to pull myself up with my left arm and sat upright against the stone for another half an hour or so before deciding to try to walk home. Supporting myself by the gravestones and then pulling myself along an old stone wall, with my bottom sticking out like a baboon (!), I got to the T- junction opposite my gate. Tractors come down this road at breakneck speed so, with my heart in my mouth, I waddled across the road, falling again in the gateway. Had I got through the gate no one would have found me. Fortunately, some people came past who recognised

me. They went in to the church where they found a doctor, who rang 999. The call was received at 11.56am and I had fallen over in the graveyard at about 10.15am! The helicopter landed in the school playground and a land ambulance drove the aircrew through the village to my gate. The doctor has since told me that when he handed me over to the paramedics he thought I was going to die. In A&E I had an x-ray to find out if it was a clot or a bleed in my brain before they could give me any drugs. I heard someone say, ‘I think we may be going to lose this one.’ But, happily, the drug worked, which I’m told is rare, particularly two hours plus after the incident. They thought I wouldn’t be able to speak but, thankfully, it’s all come back again. I do forget where I’ve put things sometimes but other people of my age say they do too! Five years later I’m still here. I think of every day now as a present. I want to say thank you to the Devon Air Ambulance for giving me life, especially to Paul and Nigel, the paramedics who took care of me and to Steve who flew us to the RD&E, I am so grateful to you all. o

“ They found a doctor, who rang 999. The call was received at 11.56am and I had fallen over in the graveyard at about 10.15am! ”

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That

Magnificent Man in his Flying Machine

An anonymous donation to DAA included a ‘Certificate of Aviation’ awarded to Claude Grahame-White, the UK’s most celebrated pre-World War I aviator. This aroused the curiosity of the Helipad team who wanted to find out more...

oday, we are used to the fast pace of change and think this is a modern phenomenon, but the speed of the development of flight can easily rival any 21st century technological advance. It’s hard to believe that just seven years after the Wright brothers’ first powered flight in 1903, and only one year after Louis Bleriot crossed the English Channel in a heavier-than-air aircraft in 1909, the fascination with flight reached fever pitch and saw many internationally acclaimed pilots take part in organised air shows with the equivalent today of hundreds of thousands of pounds in prize money up for grabs. Aviation at that time was a glamorous pastime that caught the public’s

imagination but was most certainly the preserve of the rich and adventurous. One such pioneer was Claude Grahame-White, who owned one of the first petrol driven cars in England and had established his own motor engineering company when he was bitten by the flight bug after being inspired by Bleriot’s historic crosschannel feat. Eager to join the ‘flight set’ and clearly not one to hang around wondering how, Grahame-White decamped to France and attended the world’s first aviation meeting held in Reims, where he met Bleriot and enrolled in his flying school. He subsequently became the first Englishman to achieve a certificate of proficiency

as an aviator, which makes him the first Briton to hold a pilot’s licence. He also started the first British flying school at Pau, Southern France. Amongst his many remarkable achievements, he undertook the first night flight during his failed attempt to win the Daily Mail’s LondonManchester prize – and the £10,000 that went with it! He also won the world famous Gordon Bennett Aviation Trophy in New York, founded Hendon aerodrome and organised the first official airmail delivery from London to Windsor.

Air Shows and Aviation Artistry Although still in its infancy, the aviation industry was gaining

momentum and the first of many air meetings began to be established. These early aviation showcases provided both an exciting and spectacular experience for the general public but also helped to advance the science and technology of a very new industry. One such airshow took place in July 1910 at Bournemouth Aerodrome where all the great aviators of the day came to show off their aircraft, its capability and their pilot skills competing in a range of events designed to test speed, distance, endurance, ascent (altitude), load bearing and manoeuvrability. It was also noteworthy for the death of motoring icon Charles

summer 2018 | SUPPORT

Claude at the controls of a 50hp Gnome-engined Farman Rolls (of Rolls Royce fame) who died when his aircraft crashed, making him the first Briton to be killed in a powered aircraft accident. The dashing GrahameWhite was one of the stars of the show, captivating the crowds and carrying passengers in his Farman III biplane. He took the top prize in various categories and came second overall winning over £1,400 in prize money, the equivalent of over £100,000 today. There was clearly plenty of money in aviation even then. The Bournemouth Meeting had a total prize fund of £8,000 while the Daily Mail London to Manchester Race offered £10,000 to the winner – both sums close to £1m in

today’s money.

Wake Up Britain! Claude Grahame-White was a pioneer in spirit as well as in deed and was undoubtedly a first-class self-publicist. In October 1910 he flew his Farman biplane over Washington DC landing near the White House. Instead of facing arrest from the Federal authorities, he was applauded by the media for this impressive feat. In 1911, he established a flying school at Hendon Aerodrome and the following year gave H.G. Wells, the science fiction writer who dreamt of flying machines, his first flight. He was also a propagandist. He could not understand why the military in the UK at the time could not see the value of aircraft as weapons of war

The ‘Certificate of Aviation’ awarded to Claude Grahame-White and gave demonstrations of its value by dropping flour bombs on the painted outline of a battleship as part of his ‘Wake Up Britain’ campaign. During the war, he flew the first night patrol mission against an expected German raid on 5 September 1914. After the war, GrahameWhite lost interest in aviation especially after protracted legal battles

with the Government over money owed to him for the compulsorily purchased Hendon Aerodrome and aircraft production. He took up property speculation in Britain and France where he also appears to have flourished, listing personal properties in Mayfair, Cowes, Palm Beach and Beverly Hills. He retired to Nice where he died in 1959 aged 70. o

Helipad Note It was a privilege for us all to find a link across the decades to this remarkable man and one who played a pioneering role in the development of aviation. The ‘Certificate of Ascent’ is dated 15th July 1910, the midway point at the Bournemouth Aviation Meeting. The item is currently being valued and will be sold in due course to help support our own flight operations – a cause we are sure Claude would approve of.

helipad | www.daat.org

Tuckers Hall Exeter’s hidden gem

Hidden behind a somewhat unprepossessing Victorian Gothic façade on Fore Street in Exeter, lies a well-kept secret. The chapel-like building seems to be saying ‘pass along, nothing to see here’, when it actually houses a building of infinite importance to the history of the city and one of such outstanding architectural merit that it thoroughly deserves the normally over-used epithet ‘hidden gem’.

ince 1471, Tuckers Hall has been the home of the Guild (or Incorporation) of Weavers, Fullers and Shearmen; a livery company that regulated the woollen cloth trade in Exeter. It became a centre for international trade, at one time producing around a third of the country’s cloth and making the city the third richest in England. Since the decline of the wool trade, Tuckers Hall has variously been used as a chapel, a storeroom, a school and a meeting place for Freemasons, but the association with the wool trade is its most enduring legacy and one which today’s Guild members (yes, they still exist!) have worked very hard to secure and to celebrate. This has included a programme of renovation to improve access and enhance the visitor experience through a series of well-presented images, artefacts, interactive

displays and information boards. There is also a glass viewing area revealing past architectural features and online access to the Incorporation’s complete records. As well as exploring the history of the Guild and providing an understanding of how the trades they practiced were carried out, the exhibition includes the recreation of a ‘fulling stock’, demonstrating how woolen cloth was pounded with large hammers to create the finished product. However, it is not until you go upstairs that you are hit, full face, with the medieval WOW factor – the main hall. Here you’ll find an elaborate barrel-vaulted ceiling with gilded bosses and impressive brass chandelier. There is 17th century Jacobean wood panelling, decorative carving and a long table and chairs of office, where the Guild have met for centuries. There

are also beautiful stainedglass windows featuring the insignia of guilds and names of Guild Wardens. Perhaps what sets Tuckers Hall apart from just being an historic snapshot of the past is that it remains the headquarters of the Guild today. The official ‘offices’ include the Master, the Clerk - who is effectively the Chief Executive - and the berobed Beadle who is responsible for the dayto-day running of the Hall.

They are supported by a number of very helpful and dedicated volunteers whose knowledge really helps to enhance the visitors experience and bring its fascinating history to life. Guild members still conduct their business at Tuckers Hall and remain very active in charitable giving and fundraising. As well as working to maintain the building, they continue to feature prominently in the City’s ceremonial life. o

Tuckers Hall is free to enter but donations are always welcome. It also has very restricted opening hours so be sure to check the website (www.tuckershall.org.uk) for the latest information before visiting. This magnificent 15th century building is also still working for its living by being available for private or commercial hire.

summer 2018 | JUNIOR CREW

Junior Crew Crew

Thank you once again to our fabulous young fundraisers, who continue to inspire us all with their fun and creative ways of raising money for the Charity. Here are just some of our local youngsters who have gone ‘above and beyond’ to support Devon Air Ambulance

Scalded skin for little Graci-Lee Little Graci-Lee from Ilfracombe was just 17 months old when she needed urgent medical treatment and an airlift by Devon Air Ambulance from her grandmother’s home to Bristol Children’s Hospital. Graci-Lee had enjoyed a lovely afternoon at her nana’s house when her mum, Callie, arrived to collect her. Callie’s mother-in-law had just poured boiling water into a mug of tea and turned to put the milk away when Graci-Lee reached up to the worktop and pulled the mug down. As the mug smashed on the floor, the scalding liquid landed on little Graci-Lee’s face, neck and chest.

Callie grabbed her screaming daughter and rushed to the shower, pouring cold water over her whilst pulling off her clothes, alarmed as she realised that Graci-Lee’s skin was also coming away. A First Responder was quickly on scene and explained that the helicopter had also been dispatched. “The medics were all amazing,” explained Callie. “It had all happened so quickly and I was so frightened for Graci-Lee. The aircrew were so reassuring though, and explained everything that would happen when we arrived at Bristol.” Graci-Lee was kept in hospital for two nights and, after treatment, was allowed home three days later. Callie was relieved to realise that the milk in the tea had, crucially,

reduced the temperature of the liquid and had lessened the impact on Graci-Lee’s skin. Such was the gratitude of Graci-Lee’s parents that dad, Lee Howard, was prompted to organise a fundraising

motorbike ride for the following weekend – and raised a magnificent £750 for Devon Air Ambulance! And we’re also pleased to report that Graci-Lee has now made a full recovery.

Graci-Lee on her return from hospital and now fully recovered.

t ‘Wear Your Sports Top’ raises funds Pupils from South Molton Community College were proud to raise £497.63 following their recent non-uniform day, in memory of past student, Luke Adams. DAA volunteer Richard Lappas was pleased to collect the cheque from Head Boy, Luke Saunders, Head Girl, Ruby Petch and Principal Andrew Finney.

Keeping quiet for Devon Air Ambulance u Three young pupils from St Helen’s Primary School in Abbotsham organised a Sponsored Silence for two charities close to their hearts; Juvenile Arthritis and DAA. Both of Ellie’s parents were airlifted after a road traffic collision in October 2015 and a family member of Eloise’s has also needed the service. Pictured are Holly Flood, Ellie Johns and Eloise Prouse with teacher Ben Kent and DAA volunteer Chrissie Sloman at the cheque presentation on the 14th May.

helipad | www.daat.org

Business On Board! We welcome partnerships from all types of business throughout the county – some big, some small, some offering financial support and others offering something completely different… Here are just a few companies that we are working with this summer, some of whom joined us at a recent visit to our Exeter Airbase; seeing the helicopter, meeting the aircrew and learning more about the importance of their support.

As well as offering us the most fantastic space for a very visual, moving promotion of our charity along the side of one of their lorries, Evans Transport have also allowed us to use their yard in Bideford for the North Devon start of our annual Motorcycle Ride Out on Sunday 15th July. This has enabled us to offer a two-start option for our riders, with the other at Trago Mills, Newton Abbot. Again, our thanks go to Trago Mills.

Welcome to some of our new supporters:

Chard, Honiton, Axminster and Seaton

Exeter Exeter

Maggie and Diana from Thomson Reuters

Stackhouse Poland (was Coleman Insurance) Tom Jones presented us with a chq £1,000 as part of their Charity of the Year 2018 Exeter office.

Exeter, Torquay and Holsworthy offices

Exeter

The following companies have offered masses of support in recent years, for which we are most grateful :

We are excited to welcome all these companies on board. Opportunities of help range from allowing their staff time to volunteer at any our 19 shops or various events, participating in our annual Royal Marines Commando Challenge or even organising a boat to take part in our Dragon Boat Festival - what a great teambuilding opportunity for ALL our corporate supporters!

summer 2018 | BUSINESS SUPPORT

Marley Comms Thank you for providing communications for our 25th Anniversary and Commando Challenge events.

Otter Nurseries Otter Nurseries of Torquay have offered to support us for a second year. Amongst their ideas for charity fundraising was an entertaining poetry evening held this spring

Vospers Our thanks to the Honiton Road branch for the use of their minibus for our recent group visits to our Exeter Airbase.

Paul Murray and Imogen Dawes from Marley Comms

Masons Kings Offering their Gator Experience at the Devon County Show – they have raised £3000 since 2015

The Butchers at Darts Farm Alastair and Becky David from the Butchers at Darts Farm visited the airbase and are planning some more fundraising that we’ll be telling you about very soon! Watch this space…

Liverty (was Devon & Cornwall Housing) Raised a magnificent £4,500+ during 2017 whilst we were their Charity of the Year – however, they loved the Dragon Boat Festival so much that although we’re no longer their chosen charity, they will still be taking part

Elsevier As well as taking part in our annual Dragon Boat each year, Exeterbased company Elsevier have also held an Easter Egg hunt and cake bake sales to raise funds .

Raffles Raises... Thank you to Peter Betteridge - Your Bed Expert, Kingsbridge – where their recent Bed Raffle raised £143.85 MAKE DAAT YOUR CHOSEN CHARITY

If you would like to discuss ways in which you or your company could support DAA, please contact Tracy Owen on t.owen@daat.org

helipad | www.daat.org

Fancy dress fun

summer 2018 | FUNDRAISERS

Over the past couple of decades an annual charity cycle ride in East Devon has grown in popularity year on year and is now a firm favourite in the diary for many.

he Bike Ride has been organised by the Phillips family of Honiton for many years, following its original creation by Tim Bucknell. Next year will be the 20th year that Adrian and Julie Phillips, along with son Stuart and daughter Stephanie, have organised it. Devon Air Ambulance has been the family’s chosen charity and, to date, a whopping £43,000+ has been raised! Stuart Phillips explained, “We chose to raise funds for Devon Air Ambulance when we took over 19 years ago – it’s a

The route, always around 26/27 miles, takes in several villages around Honiton and goes via various public houses along the way, giving participants the chance to stop where they want to. Stuart continued, “Safety has been one of the most important considerations every year due to the growing popularity for the ride. The route has changed because of health and safety factors to keep the participants away from busy roads. The start and finish location has also changed over the years, with the end

“ About 50-60 people took part in the first year and the numbers have swelled year on year with many people who originally rode as children or young adults still taking part and now bringing along their own families. This year there were 500 participants! ” fantastic local charity and, of course, you never know when you might need it.” About 50-60 people took part in the first year and the numbers have swelled year on year with many people who originally rode as children or young adults still taking part and now bringing along their own families. This year there were 500 participants! The event has always had an option to wear fancy dress. Asked if he had a favourite costume from past years, Stuart explained, “We can’t really pick one, as every year the fancy dress gets better and better. It’s just a fantastic sight to see so many people putting so much effort into their costumes.”

locations always popular for post-ride celebrations! This year we had a great barbecue and live music.” Stuart continued, “We used to take part when there were fewer participants but now, with its overwhelming popularity, organising and supervising the event takes priority. It’s mainly family organised up to the day of the event and we have loyal friends who give up their time to help make the event successful. We couldn’t do it without all our friends volunteering their time to help.” The Bike Ride is always held on the first Saturday in May each year. Anyone can enter singularly or in groups, but under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult. o

Caroline Creer, Fundraising Director of DAA said, “The Bike Ride is a fantastic example of community fundraising at its absolute best. Loads of people having an awesome day, out in the beautiful Devon countryside and raising funds for a great cause at the same time. We’re really grateful to Adrian, Julie, Stuart and Stephanie for all their hard work and, of course, to all the volunteers who help AND to everyone who takes part.”

helipad | www.daat.org

Devon People Real people saving real lives - what could you do to save a life? Community fundraising is an absolute bedrock income stream for the charity and, last year, generated a whopping million pounds plus! We are grateful to EVERYONE who organises or takes part in an event and to those who accept and undertake amazing personal challenges. Here are just a few… Among this year’s 40,000 runners, Julian Wills from Exeter ran his first London Marathon (in sweltering conditions) in 4 hours 48 mins, raising nearly £1,000 for DAA. Well done to Julian and all this year’s Devon Air Ambulance runners.

Emma Oxley from HSBC in Exeter raised £284.67 at a cake sale on the 25th April – bringing her overall fundraising total for DAA to an amazing £7,587! Kate Phillips and Jo Smith, who run the Cowshed, a livestock market café in Holsworthy, held a Big Breakfast with raffle and a Charity Auction, and raised £2,000. Tamar Lakes Park Run offered refreshments at their Tea & Coffee Station and raised £311 for DAA from the winter park runs.

A big thank you to Exeter Police & Hospital Players for raising £1,300 at this year’s entertaining pantomime, The Princess & The Ogre – oh yes they did!

summer 2018 | FUNDRAISERS

On behalf of the Babbacombe & St Marychurch Conservative Club, club President, Paul Jones was proud to donate a cheque to Graham Gordon for Devon Air Ambulance, along with 2 other nominated charities, for £700 each.

The Rockin’ Bikers raised £500 from a movie premier at the Yelverton Café Cinema of ‘The Moment’, a new documentary about the birth of freeride mountain biking. The money was raised from ticket sales, a raffle and donations for beer.

Rotary Club of Axminster President, Peter Creek, presents a cheque for £1000 to Don Waterhouse for Devon Air Ambulance following a Charity Golf Day organised jointly by the Rotary Clubs of Axminster and Lyme Regis. The event, sponsored by 18 local companies, attracted nearly 100 players. The organisers would like to express their sincere thanks to both the participants and the sponsors for their generosity.

David Bell of the South Devon MCC presenting Tony Cannon with a donation of £1,000 after a series of fund-raising events and activities. Tansel Brace, from Fatface at Taunton, with colleague Charlie Salter, presented a cheque for £733.88 to DAA’s Louise Newbery from a Coast to Coast Walk in June last year. Charlie chose to support DAA as he also helps at Dunkeswell Airport in connection with Sky Dives and DAA have attended some rare but unfortunate incidents there so he has seen firsthand the importance of the Air Ambulance.

THINKING OF FUNDRAISING? Four Devon friends, Jason Oakley, Garry Elliot, Andrew Tucker and Harris Richardson, along with teams in 90 other whacky old bangers, recently completed the Europe-wide charity road rally, “Benidorm Bangers”, raising over £2,500 for Devon Air Ambulance. Fancy dress, daily challenges and fantastic views were just a few of the ingredients in this Top Gear-style trip.

See our GETTING IN TOUCH section on page 3 If you are planning a fundraising activity of any kind, please do give us a call. We can offer support material such as posters, balloons, collection boxes and even running vests, and we can promote your event on social media..

helipad | www.daat.org

Keeping our service safe and effective – ‘Currency and Recency’ We are often asked about the qualifications and training needed to be a paramedic or a pilot and it turns out there’s no simple answer. In fact, it’s an ongoing process. Helipad asked Nigel Hare, DAA Operations Director, to explain what’s needed to keep the aircrew current with their qualifications and compliant with all the relevant authorising bodies.

“H

owever highly qualified and experienced individual crew members are when they join us, there is an annual requirement for each member of the aircrew to maintain core competencies, be it as a pilot, a doctor or a paramedic. Coupled with this, pilots have to revalidate their licence every 12-months with the Civil Aviation Authority and European Air Safety Agency; doctors every 12-months with the General Medical Council with a more in-depth validation required every fifth year, and paramedics every 24-months through the Health and Care Professions Council. Thanks to the very generous support of the people of Devon, Devon Air Ambulance is able to continually develop our service which, in turn, enables us to offer a broad range of treatment to our patients. Each development we introduce, however, requires the crew to undertake education, training

Paramedics take part in regular training exercises

“ Thanks to the very generous support of the people of Devon, Devon Air Ambulance is able to continually develop our service which, in turn, enables us to offer a broad range of treatment to our patients ”

and qualifications to perform the new skill or procedure. On its own this isn’t too onerous, even when you consider the need to redemonstrate proficiency on an annual basis. However, when you add each item of development together; the number of treatments, interventions and skill sets that make up the operational crew’s role, the task of remaining up to date and qualified (known as Currency) as well as being able to demonstrate recent experience or exposure in undertaking a particular task or process (known as Recency) is no small undertaking. For paramedics, there is a raft of ongoing training and assessment they have to carry out in order to remain current – from how to move and handle patients, to refresher courses on how to administer some of the advanced medication and to ensure they are competent in the use of medical equipment. As part of their role as ‘technical’ crew, they

OPERATIONS Profile: Nigel Hare - Operations Director Email: n.hare@daat.org Nigel is responsible for the provision of our operational service, from the initial procurement of the helicopters and their equipment right through to the care that reaches the patient. He joined Devon Air Ambulance in 1997 as an Aircrew Paramedic.

summer 2018 | OPERATIONS also have to do an annual ‘Flying Line Check’ which includes navigation and the use of aircraft systems, refuelling, use of night vision goggles and how to land at our community landing sites. Pilots also have a number of annual assessments to undertake, including ground handling procedures, how to conduct daily aircraft engineering checks, a Licence Proficiency Check and first aid training. As well as the ongoing training which means pilots, paramedics and doctors can undertake their core roles,

there is also other training which may be less obvious such as emergency survival, fire training, awareness of dangerous goods, manual handling, safety management and even how to drive safely when they are airside! Of course, keeping everyone current takes a significant amount of time and commitment, but maintaining our knowledge and keeping up to date and fully qualified helps ensure we deliver a quality service to our patients which is not just very effective, but is also very safe.” o

Night Operations Community Landing Site Development Officer, Toby Russell, brings us up to date with what’s happening after dark…

he delivery of our service during the hours of darkness continues to be enhanced with more and more towns, villages and hamlets developing their Community Landing Site for us to land at when it is dark. At the time of writing, we now have 76 active landing sites with, as coincidence would have it, another 76 site locations identified with the help of local communities, 44 of which have already been surveyed by our team and plans progressing to bring them to operational status. We are also working with a further 50 communities to identify a suitable site, meaning that in total we have now exceeded 200 communities who either already have, or are working

towards establishing their remotely controlled floodlit Community Landing Site. o Full details can be found on our website at www. daat.org/landing-sites and if your community isn’t shown on our map, and you would like to help start the process of developing one with us, then place contact Toby Russell on: t.russell@daat.org

Sites already live Sites in development

COMMUNITY LANDING SITES Profile: Toby Russell - Community Landing Sites Development Officer Email: t.russell@daat.org Toby joined us in 2015 with a brief to work with local communities to establish a county-wide network of night landing sites. To find out more about his work and how your community can get involved visit www.daat.org.

helipad | www.daat.org

‘The Pope Must Diet ’! Peter Richardson is an actor, director, writer, but above all Devonian. He is the man who gave us the Comic Strip and launched the careers of French and Saunders, Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson and helped win the legal battle over the one-way street changes in his home town of Totnes. He has never shied away from confrontation and admits that trouble has followed him even when making films. David FitzGerald talks to the man who has never let Devon far from his sights. So, Devon? ‘I have made most of my films here in the county, using all sorts of locations. I have returned to Hope Cove several times; in fact my first film, Supergrass was shot there. I chose Dartmoor and a farmhouse by the river Dart for another Comic Strip feature, Queen of the Wild Frontier, where two prisoners escape into the hands of a pair of sex-starved sisters. Plymouth has been the backdrop to Churchill The Hollywood Years starring Christian Slater, with the 2011 film The Hunt for Tony Blair using the city and Torquay. The phone hacking spoof, Red Top starring Maxine Peake and Nigel Planer also came back to Plymouth where we used the city council building, which has been preserved for some reason! I remember getting into terrible trouble in a magazine article when I was asked if there was one building I could demolish, which one would it be. I said….Plymouth..I did have the council building in mind, honest.’ Did you always want to become an actor? ‘I was spoiled by my

mother; she told me that I could become anything so I went to London to become a star, as you do. So I left Newton Abbot Station when I was seventeen to audition for Forty Years On, a play starring Sir John Gielgud and Paul Eddington. Needless to say I didn’t get far but they suggested that I get some experience and representation. So I was given the number of The Eric Blythe Agency and I was always told to ask for the man at the top. I phoned and a gruff voice answered… ‘Eric Blythe Agency’. May I speak to Eric Blythe please was my forceful enquiry. The voice answered that it would be difficult as he has been dead for three years. Not a good start! I did however get the part in Forty Years On at a later date.’ Your film The Pope Must Die is still the funniest thing I have ever seen ‘Thank you, setting fire to Ade Edmondson made me laugh. It was shot in Croatia, the building that was supposed to be The Vatican was a church inside a prison. Robbie Coltrane was brilliant playing a priest made Pope by accident. But there was a

horrid atmosphere in the air, the Serbs were about to go to war. On set we had some guns which were firing blanks in the film but I remember the props man saying that they would be used for real in a short while. It was all pretty chilling. The film itself loosely reflected some of what had been going on within the Vatican but it was very tongue in cheek. In America it did cause quite a fuss to the point that they changed the name to The Pope Must Diet’! And speaking of legal problems….your first film for Channel 4!

‘Oh yes, Five Go Mad in Dorset, which was shot in Devon. The press had been muttering about the dreadful things we had done to the Enid Blyton characters. So lawyers turned up at the

Channel 4 studios, which were still being built, and we showed them the film. They started watching with steely eyed, expressionless faces but after a while they were laughing behind their legal papers and at the end, rolling on the floor. I would say rolling on the carpet but that hadn’t been fitted yet. It was all dropped.’ And the future? ‘I am working on a film about Brexit, nothing too controversial there. And am about to start a stage tour talking about my career. I am on at The Watermark in Ivybridge on 6th October with you! Oh yes. Five fun facts about Peter Richardson! 1. I am a Devonian, honest, cream on first every time. 2. If I hadn’t become an actor/ director I would have been a farmer. I can milk a cow. 3. I became Jeff Beck’s manager for a day. 4. I introduced Lemmy from Motorhead to Kate Bush…. didn’t go well, that! 5. I was a life guard at a Devon swimming pool. Failed the swimming test but they still hired me as they were so short staffed.

BACKCHAT Profile: David FitzGerald - BBC Broadcaster and DAAT Patron David first began broadcasting on commercial radio in the early 1980s, before moving to television. As well as a busy broadcasting career David still finds time for writing as well as enjoying a regular round of golf.

Fitz

te al le ra u b o id ila rp div va Cod In es A g an k a c

RACEDAY FUNDRAISER

Devon Air Ambulance Trust Join us for

Devon Day

Sunday 25th November 2018 The Raceday Package includes: Premier Hospitality Admission Ticket Private Hospitality Box opposite the Finish Line Official Racecard Sit-down Meal Drink on Arrival Hospitality Team and Tipster Talk See the Clydesdale Devon Day Race in support of Devon Air Ambulance

To secure your place at this prestigious event please email fundraising@daat.org or call Caroline Creer or Tracy Owen on 01392 466666

THE HOME OF ASTON MARTIN IN THE SOUTH WEST. We would like to invite you to our state-of-the-art Aston Martin showroom in Bristol, located at Cribbs Causeway, just off Junction 17 of the M5 motorway. The two-storey dealership is fully approved for New and Timeless Certified Pre-Owned Car Sales, Servicing and Parts. Aston Martin Bristol proudly support the Devon Air Ambulance and the Royal Marine Charity. To find out more please call 01173 216 710 or search Aston Martin Bristol.

Aston Martin Bristol Vantage Point, Cribbs Causeway, Bristol BS10 7TU Phone: + 44 (0) 1173 216 710

Email: info@astonmartinbristol.co.uk

Web: www.astonmartinbristol.co.uk